


I'm Iron Man

by Dreamer1701



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Avengers Family, Bucky Barnes & Winter Soldier are Different Personalities, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama & Romance, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Pepperony - Freeform, Post-Iron Man 3, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 72
Words: 187,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29316627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamer1701/pseuds/Dreamer1701
Summary: Even though all his suits were destroyed, and the Arc reactor wasn't in his chest anymore, Tony couldn't give up being Iron Man. So he built a new suit – secretly, of course. Set after Iron Man 3 and follows the events from there on. Also including the Avengers in later chapters. TONYxPEPPER
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, this is by far my longest story. It's about Tony and Pepper after the events in Iron Man 3. I've started writing this in 2013 and by now, it was 72 chapters. I think it will reach about 100 in the end. I've originally posted it on another platform (and I'm still updating all my stories there as well), but wanted to give it a try here as well. In the course of the story, we'll meet many well-known characters and you might know a few events that take place, even if they're a little different from the movies, of course. 
> 
> I won't post all 72 chapters here right now, that would take far too much time. I'll upload some of them from time to time and it would be great if you could tell me if you want more chapters. Another note at the beginning, the later chapters are different than the first ones! As I said, I've started this nearly eight years ago and my writing style has changed very much since then. However, I didn't want to write all the earlier chapters new, so I only edited them and fixed a few mistakes. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

It was over.

The suits were destroyed, the Arc reactor lay on the ground of the ocean, were his old house had been standing.

Tony watched the ocean for a few moments before he turned around and walked slowly to his car. While walking, he saw the former entrance of his workshop, where the suits have been standing. He stopped and closed his eyes. Why had he done all those things?

Pepper. He had done it for Pepper Potts, the love of his life. He nearly lost her and that was cruel. He couldn’t live without her, so he wanted to make her happy. And she never liked the thought of Tony risking his life while being Iron Man.

He opened his eyes and got in the car.

* * *

His new home was a villa which was also in Malibu. It was close to the ocean and looked like his old one.

Pepper was already there when he entered the living room. She was sitting on the couch and smiling at him. He sat down next to her.

“Where have you been? You look tired.” She looked at him in concern.

“I’ve been in Malibu…”

“Oh” she frowned. “And there you…?”

“I threw away the Arc reactor.” He explained. “I think it was necessary to let go of it. It was controlling my life for too long.”

“But it was also your last memory of Iron Man and all the good things you’ve caused.”

“But it also reminded me of all the pain I’ve been through, Pepper. The time in the cave in Afghanistan, all the fights, the times I nearly died, the injuries and, worst of all, the questions about it.” He grinned.

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Really, Tony?”

“The questions were horrible. And so annoying!”

“Well, I think I know what you mean.” She was silent for a moment. “Was it really that bad? The time you had to live with the reactor and were Iron Man?”

“Part of it. I mean, I can handle injuries and nearly dying and all those things. But I can’t handle losing you. I can’t live without you, I know that now. That’s why I gave it up. The world can survive without me pretty well. They have Rhodey as War Machine and if something really bad happens, the Avengers will return. That should be enough.” He smiled at her. “I won’t risk my life anymore, I promise.”

Pepper smiled a little bit. His words seemed to satisfy her. “Thank you. I love you, you know?”

“Of course you do, I’m Tony Stark.” She rolled her eyes.

He leaned in and kissed her.

* * *

“And you are sure that it was the right thing to do?” Rhodey asked seriously. “You gave up nearly everything, Tony.”

He shook his head. “No, I haven’t. I’ve just given up a part of me.”

Rhodey raised his eyebrows. “And not a small one.” His words didn’t seem to convince him that he was okay with the loss of his suit. But he was. Now he had the chance to do something useful, maybe to help Pepper with the management of Stark Industries. Or he could develop a new method to produce clean energy, also for Stark Industries. Or he could spend time with Pepper, when she wasn’t busy with working at Stark Industries. – Wait, what? Stark Industries? That was all he could do? Well, he could have some fun and go to parties, but Pepper wouldn’t be okay with that. So what was he going to do in his free time now? He would have to think about that later.

He suddenly realized that Rhodey was still waiting for him to say something. “I gave up Iron Man because it was dangerous. I risked the life of the people I love and that was wrong. I can’t lose Pepper or anyone else. That would be too much for me. I would break down.”

“But Iron Man wasn’t bad at all. I mean, you saved the world more than once. And the suit was cool as well.” He smiled briefly.

“But I also nearly destroyed it. I built a weapon, Rhodey. It was nearly stolen from me, I made the life of some people hell – well, I did that before the accident in Afghanistan too – together with some other heroes I nearly wrecked New York and I stole cars, I used people, I betrayed them and I damaged many trucks by flying into them while they were driving.” He said stubbornly.

“And the things you said now weren’t too bad at all. Even though you have done them, you saved the world.” He grinned. “I never thought that I would see the day when Tony Stark hasn’t got any astonishingly arguments.”

Tony rolled his eyes. Then his phone rang. He shot Rhodey an apologetically look and answered the call.

“Hello?”

“ _Hello boss, Happy here.”_ He heard the voice of his security chief. 

“Happy, what’s going on?” he asked curiously. He told Happy just to call him when there’s an emergency. But for Happy, many things were as bad as an accident.

“ _Sir, there’s a press conference in less than half an hour. Mrs. Potts told me that you might have forgotten it, so I wanted to make sure that you’re punctual. The press will have lots of questions about the whole story with the Mandarin and they might want to know what you will do know. I mean, your old house was destroyed, and the Arc reactor was removed from your chest.”_

Tony sighed and rolled his eyes. “Thank you, Happy. I have forgotten the press conference. So Pepper was right. You don’t need to worry; I’ll go there with Rhodey.” Rhodey raised his eyebrows. “And I already have some answers for the questions of the reporters. Thank you very much and please tell Pepper that she’s great.” With these words he ended the call and turned to Rhodey.

“We have to go. There’s a press conference in less than thirty minutes. They want to know everything about the events last month.”

Rhodey nodded slowly. “Okay. I guess you have a good story for the press? They’ll have many questions.”

“Yeah, I’ve got something in mind.” He answered mysteriously and smiled.

“If you say it like this, I really don’t want to know what you’re going to tell them.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Tony was standing in front of a crowd of journalists. While driving to the conference, he had to think about something to tell them and he made up some really good arguments. But probably there would be a question he wasn’t prepared for and he would have to improvise. He tried not to think about the fact that every time he had to improvise something went wrong. He began to tell unimportant things or just the truth, which wasn’t always the best choice. The truth often caused more harm than a simple lie. People wanted to hear things that sound simple and logical. The truth wasn’t always logical. It was confusing and unspectacular – if you were a normal citizen and not a billionaire in an iron suit.

“Mr. Stark, now that the Mandarin has been beaten and the president is safe again, what are you going to do?” That was an unexpected beginning of a press conference. He sighed mentally.

“Well, now that I have some peace, I’m going to develop a new technology to produce clean energy.” He answered simply.

“So you are trying to expand the influence of Stark Industries?”

“Yes, I think that if we just try hard enough, we could change the world and make it a better place.” He smiled into one of the cameras. He was sure that Pepper liked that answer. She wanted to make Stark Industries a very important company, so it was good that he supported her opinion.

“You are giving up on Iron Man then?” That was it. The question he had expected and feared at the same time. He wanted to give up on Iron Man, which was true. He had also told Pepper, Rhodey and Happy that that was his plan, but deep inside he wasn’t sure if he was able to let go. Iron Man was a part of his life, a part of himself. Not having this part anymore would be like something would be missing. And if he told the world that Iron Man didn’t exist anymore, the people would lose the belief in heroes. And all his fans would be disappointed.

So he knew what he had to do.

“No.” he realized that everyone in the room had been holding his breath. After this simple word, all journalists started to ask questions at the same time.

Tony searched on the edge of the crowd for Rhodey. When he found him, he met a very confused and  reproachful gaze. He felt very sorry for not having told him about his plan, but now he had to keep talking. “I won’t give up on Iron Man. I’ll always be there to help the world if there’s danger.”

“Even if it’s such a big one like the Mandarin?”

“Of course. People like that must be stopped. I won’t let them destroy anything. I’ve always fought for peace and I’ll carry on doing that.”

“You’ve never claimed that you fight for peace.” A man in the crowd stated.

“No? I haven’t?” he asked surprised. Apparently, he had forgotten to mention that. But if he hadn’t fought for peace, why had he tried to stop Loki and his army? Or the Mandarin?

“No, I don’t think so.”

“But I have.”

“And what is your next step as Iron Man?” another journalist asked.

“I’ll wait until the world needs me again.” He smiled and looked straight into a camera. “But don’t think that I’m inattentive. I watch the events in the world very closely and as soon as you need me, I’ll be there. And when I’m there, the other side is going to lose.” He lowered his voice so that it was just a whisper. “Because I am Iron Man.”

With these words he turned around and left the press hall.

* * *

“Why have you told them that you’re still Iron Man?”

Rhodey and Tony were sitting in the car. They were on their way to Tony’s house.

“Later.”

“But Tony –“

“Later. I think Pepper will have the same questions as you do. She deserves to know why I’ve done it as well.”

“Alright.” Rhodey gave in reluctantly.

The rest of the ride, Rhodey was very silent. He seemed to think about something. Sometimes, he turned to Tony and looked at him closely, but he didn’t say anything. Tony felt very uncomfortable. He’d told his friends and the press a completely different story and he didn’t know which version was right. Which version he wanted to become true.

When they reached the villa, Pepper was already standing in front of the door. She looked very angry and her arms were crossed. Tony knew that the look on her face meant trouble. He left the car und walked towards her slowly. He wasn’t keen on the conversation which was going to follow. He would have to explain many things – and he had no idea how to do it.

“Let me explain…” he started when he stopped in front of her, but Pepper interrupted him shortly.

“Why have you told the press that you’re not giving up on Iron Man? Have you lied to me? Or have you lied to them? If that was one of your brilliant plans, you could have told me! I think that I deserve to know what you are doing and –“

“Would you please let me explain everything?” he asked a little louder und looked at her sternly. He didn’t want to hear accusations.

She looked at Rhodey. “Did you know about this?” She asked him reproachfully.

Rhodey shook his head. “No, I was very surprised.” He answered her immediately. “If I would have known, I would have tried to stop him, believe me.”

“You talk about it like it was something bad.” Tony interrupted them.

“It was! What are you going to do if the world needs Iron Man again? You don’t have a suit anymore! You can’t help the world if there’s danger. What will they think when they get to know that you lied?” Pepper looked at him accusingly and there was also disappointment on her face.

“Would you please sit down? Then I can explain everything.” Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Rhodey and Pepper exchanged a look, but finally they sat down on the couch. Tony remained standing.

“You are right, I don’t have any suits anymore and that means that Iron Man doesn’t exist. I also don’t want to build a new one. But Iron Man is a symbol of hope, a hero. He saved the world more than once and everybody knows it. He’s got amazing powers many people dream of and they want to be like him. If bad things like the Mandarin happen, they count on him to save the world and bring peace. They look at him like he’s unbeatable. Without him, the Avengers wouldn’t be complete. Something would be missing. Without him, many people would lose their trust into heroes and the good forces in the world. And I can’t do that to them. I would destroy their dreams and the crimes would increase, because they know that there’s nobody to stop them. The world needs Iron Man, even though he’s just an illusion.” He finished his speech.

Pepper and Rhodey looked at him surprised and speechless.

“You’ve thought about all those things?” Rhodey asked.

Tony nodded. “And many other points.”

“And I thought you could be an egoist.” Grinning, he shook his head. “You really think about the feelings of others.”

Tony smiled. “I have a soft side, too.” He admitted. He turned to Pepper, who was smiling at him doubtfully. It was obvious that his little speech didn’t fully convince her.

“If Iron Man will be needed again, he won’t be able to save the world. That’ll be a problem. You’ll need an excuse why you can’t be there to help. But even if you’ve got one, they’ll be disappointed and loose the faith in you.” She said thoughtfully.

“I’ll find the right plea.” He replied simply.

“You should really do that.” She muttered thoughtfully.

“But not right now. In this moment, I want to enjoy the evening with the love of my life and my best friend.” Finally, Tony sat down next to them and wrapped an arm around Pepper’s shoulders. Slowly, he felt her relax.

“And what are we going to do?” Rhodey raised his eyebrows.

“How does pizza sound to you?” Tony suggested.

Rhodey grinned. “Better than your speech.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

His dream was very confusing.

First, he was in the cave in Afghanistan, a few days after he got kidnapped. Yinsen was there, too. Everything was very dark, and he couldn’t understand what the other man was saying because the pain in his chest was too strong. He just understood something about himself and building weapons for the Afghans. He wanted to look up, but he couldn’t move. Suddenly everything faded and he saw two bright eyes who were staring at him. He realized that it were the eyes of his first suit, the one he built in the cave to escape from his prison. The suit seemed to grin at him in a disturbing way.

Then the dream changed. He was standing in a cell, but this time it wasn’t his own. Ivan, the son of Anton Vanko was sitting on the table in front of him and told him about the palladium poisoning. At that time, Tony wasn’t worried about it. He had been thinking that there was enough time to solve the problem. But instead, the poisoning spread faster than he thought.

Before he knew what happened, the vision changed again. He was in his old villa in Malibu and Maya was standing in front of him, next to Pepper. She looked at the screen of the TV in the entrance hall and when she turned to them again, she looked horrified and scared. Then the bombs hit the house and all he could think of was Pepper’s safety. He called the suit to protect her instead of him and she left the house with Maya. He stayed in the house because he wanted to make sure that she was safe first. Suddenly, the ground on which he was standing was about to crash into the sea. “ _Mrs. Potts is safe_ .” JARVIS informed him. Relieved, he called the suit to come and safe him. As soon as he was in the suit, the water surrounded him. He heard JARVIS telling him that he should breathe in deeply before everything turned dark.

* * *

“Tony?”

Pepper’s voice was soft and worried. Slowly, he opened his eyes. She was sitting in their bed next to him and looked down at him, a concerned expression on her face. “Are you okay? You’ve been whispering in your sleep.”

“I had a nightmare.” He told her quietly. “But you’re here, so I’m okay.” He smiled slightly and sat up to look into her eyes.

She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. “It’s not starting again, is it?” she asked.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ve had nightmares before New York, too. Everyone does.”

She nodded. “I know what you mean.”

“You’ve had nightmares?” he asked surprised. “Why? When?”

She pulled away from him, to look into his eyes. “The time you’ve been captured in Afghanistan. And they were about…” She looked down. “Losing you.” The last words were just a soft whisper.

That surprised him even more. She had nightmares when he’d been in Afghanistan? About losing him? But by that time they weren’t even together. Well, okay, he liked her before. That was the reason why he’d employed her. That and the fact that she’s very intelligent. But the news that she liked him then? A total surprise.

“Really? You’ve missed me? And you were afraid that I’d be dying? I thought you didn’t like me and were just working for Stark Industries because you could earn much money.”

“Well, you were pretty annoying.” She admitted. “But you were also polite, funny, creative and smart. And I didn’t think of the money. I saw working at Stark Industries as an opportunity.”

Tony nodded slowly. “Now I understand why you looked so happy when I returned. And so shocked when you found out about the Arc reactor.”

Pepper smiled. “Yes, that was scary. The thought that you would die without that machine in your chest. But now I’m glad that you had it. It saved your life.”

Tony leaned in and kissed her. “Thank you.” He murmured.

“What for?”

“Loving me.”

* * *

The next morning after breakfast, Pepper and Tony drove to Stark Industries. Pepper thought that it was a good idea if Tony would be seen there because he told the press that he wanted to do something for the company. Tony didn’t like the plan. He preferred being in his lab and inventing the new technology there. 

But Pepper had looked at him with big eyes and pleaded him to go there, so he wasn’t able to say no. She said that he should know how the climate in his company was.

The whole morning, he was running through the company and watching people and the things they were doing. He had to give some advises and many employees wanted to get feedback about their way of working. All in all, it was very boring.

And then there were these journalists who kept running in circles in front of the building. They all wanted to get an interview, but he wasn’t planning to give one. His plans for Stark Industries were secret. Well, Pepper knew, but she was the CEO of the company, so it was alright.

“Mr. Stark?” he heard a voice behind him.

He turned around to see Happy standing in front of him. He was looking very reproachfully. “May I ask where your name tag is?”

“My what?” Tony asked in surprise.

“The plate you’re wearing on your breast with your name on it.”

“I know what a name tag is! But why do I have to wear one?” He crossed his arms and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“You have to wear one so that everyone knows who you are.” Happy explained.

Tony laughed quietly. “I think everyone knows who I am. After all, I’m the leader of this company.”

“How do you know that they know you?”

“I was on the TV many times. And in the papers. And in many magazines. And my name is standing above the entrance and on the side of the building.”

“How do they know that you belong to that name?” Happy asked unsatisfied.

Tony rolled his eyes. “I think I’ll wear that goddamn name tag.” He muttered darkly.

Happy just grinned.

“Give it to me.” He held out his hand and the smile on Happy’s face vanished.

“But I haven’t got your name tag. I gave it to you a few days ago.”

“Really? Can’t remember that.” Or… wait. A few days ago? Maybe he remembered it.

“ _Mr. Stark, just in case you want to visit Stark Industries, I’ve got your name tag here.” Happy said with a proud smile. He seemed to be happy to help his boss._

“ _Oh yeah, I forgot that you wanted everyone to wear them to make sure there was nobody… you know. You don’t know.” Tony answered with a sympathetic smile. Since Happy was the security chief at Stark Industries, he was very precise and took his job seriously. Tony wondered how long it would last._

_Happy handed him the name tag and he took it with a smile. “Thank you, that’s very nice.”_

“ _No problem.” Happy’s phone beeped and he took a short look at it. “Oh, I’ve got to go. There’s someone sneaking around the back door of the company.” He looked at Tony apologetically and left the house._

_Tony looked at the name tag searchingly. “I don’t think that I’ll need one.” He muttered and threw it right into the trash can._

Now he remembered the name tag. Maybe it was still in the trash can. He would have to look after that.

“Oh, I think I remember it.” He told Happy and smiled. “It’s still in my lab; I’ll wear it next time I come here, alright?”

“Yes, that’s good.” The other man replied, a satisfied smile on his lips.

“And now, I’ve got to go. I’ve still got work to do in my lab.”

As soon as he left the building, the journalists were surrounding him and asking lots of questions about the company, but he ignored them and went straight to his car.  _Maybe later…_ he thought and drove away. 

* * *

What could he fabricate for Stark Industries? This question was occupying him for a few hours now. He thought about a new method to produce clean energy, but he had no idea yet. They had the Arc reactor and a machine to get energy out of the ocean. But what were they going to do now? It had to be something special, something that nobody else had. Energy from fire wasn’t special or even new. Wind and light weren’t new as well. So the only thing that was left was… the earth. But how do you get energy out of the earth? Earth wasn’t energy-rich, but the deeper you got the warmer it became.

Maybe he could invent a method to get energy out of the heat of the earth. But he would have to dig very deep to reach the necessary heat. It could be possible, but it would need time to find a possibility which would succeed. However, he had enough time. Pepper took care of the company and all he had to do was to show up in the public regularly. That was easy. He would just have to go out with Pepper sometimes and maybe he could show up at few parties. And he was doing that very often. With a smile, he began to work out plans.

* * *

It wasn’t too difficult to invent a method to get energy out of the earth. After all, he was Tony Stark, a genius and because he was a billionaire, he had enough money to buy all the stuff he needed. JARVIS has helped him with the plans and three weeks after drawing the plans for the machine, he finished it.

You want to know why he was so fast? Well, because he couldn’t work at his suits or his equipment anymore, he had to search another activity. And since nothing else was left, he had to work at the generator. He was just able to do it when Pepper and Rhodey were at work, because they didn’t want him to get too recessed in his work again, but that was alright.

The generator impressed the company. No one had believed that it was possible to get energy from the earth. Again, Tony had proven them wrong. The first tests of the machine were successful, and they were about to publish the news. Pepper was really proud of him and relieved that he has given up on Iron Man. Happy had told him that he’d shown his genius quality again. Rhodey just smiled.

The only person who wasn’t happy at all was Tony himself.

Working at the generator was a good way of passing time, but now that he’d finished it, he had nothing to do again. And for someone like Tony, just sitting and waiting were like a death sentence. A few weeks ago, he would have been working on his suits or weapons, but he wasn’t Iron Man anymore, which still bothered him. What would happen if the world would need him? When he won’t show up, everybody would know that he’d lied. That he’d given up. That he was weak and beatable.

What would the Avengers think? Cap who was always so optimistic? Bruce, who was also very intelligent and always reasonable? Natasha and Clint, the couple of super agents who never gave up? And Thor, the big guy from another planet who liked to swing his hammer? Would they be disappointed? Or satisfied? Maybe they would laugh about him. And what would Phil Coulson, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who had died during the battle against Loki, think? He’d believed in heroes. They’ve given him hope.

But he’s promised Pepper to give up on Iron Man. She would be disappointed if he would build a new suit. If he would risk his life again, she would be really mad. And Rhodey… would he be happy or angry? Even though he was War Machine (Iron Patriot, you idiot!), Tony has to help him with his missions or the technology very often. Well, since he’s told him that he’d given up on Iron Man, he didn’t ask again. Maybe Pepper has ordered him not to. She could think that he would get a reversion if he would be confronted with that kind of stuff again.

Suddenly, he realized that he was always thinking about the feelings and thoughts of the others. Why was he doing that? He was Tony Stark and famous for his selfishness. Before the Mandarin had shown up, he’d always done what he wanted to do. He didn’t care much about the other’s sake or their feelings. He’d just done it. But on the other hand, no one could stop him when he started to build new suits and weapons. They would be disappointed or mad at him, but that was it. They couldn’t control his whole life. They wanted him to be happy and if the suits made him happy, they would have to accept it.

He could build them secretly and when Iron Man was needed again, SURPRISE! He would just be there and save the world. And maybe Pepper and Rhodey would be happy and proud that he’d done it. Or Pepper would slap and leave him and Rhodey would look at him with this very accusing look he was so good at.

He also had to think about the world. It needed Iron Man! Without him, they would already be dead many times! And hope was always necessary…

So what was he going to do now?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“With these jets, we’ll be able to fly through war areas without being noticed.” Rhodey smiled proudly. “They are equipped with the latest technology and no other country knows how to produce it. With these jets, we’ll have a big advantage towards the enemy.” He finished his presentation of the latest jets. They were much faster than the old ones (the Iron Man suit was even faster) and harder to see.

Tony didn’t know why he was invited to the presentation, but he supposed that he was on the list of the people who might be interested in it. To be honest, he did not care about these jets. He’d just shown up because he didn’t want to offend Rhodey. And Pepper has said that it wouldn’t be polite to ignore an invitation.

He realized that the other spectators were leaving the hall, so he turned around to go as well. “Hey, Tony!” He heard a voice behind him. He turned around again to see Rhodey walking towards him. “Do you have some time?”

“Yes, of course. What’s up?” He asked him curiously. The last weeks, Rhodey didn’t ask him about anything. They have just met to talk about unimportant stuff like the latest political decisions or movies.

“I don’t know if you still want to help me, but I’ve some problems with my suit.” Rhodey said hesitantly. “The steering seems to be blocked. When I want to fly to the right, the suit is moving to the left and the other way round it’s the same. Our best technicians have already looked at it, but they weren’t able to solve the problem. They said that I’d have to talk to you if I want it to be fixed. The technology is too complicated for them.” He smiled slightly. “That proves that you’re really brilliant, you know? Our engineers are the smartest in the USA.”

“Well, I bet that they’re intelligent, but they aren’t the cleverest ones in the whole United States. There are lots of people who are better, but they hide from you. Sometimes they turn evil or one of their experiments goes wrong and they end up as a big green monster each time they get angry.” He pulled a face. “Or they just don’t want to work for you.” Grinning, he tapped his chest.

Rhodey nodded slowly. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I am.”

“But the question was if you want to help me. I mean…” He hesitated. “You’ve given up on the whole Iron Man thing and you don’t have the suits anymore and you don’t want to build new ones. You are the only one who understands the technology in War Machine.”

“I thought his name’s Iron Patriot.” Tony replied with a grin and raised his eyebrows.

“That sounds terrible and you know it.” Rhodey muttered, but he had to smile as well.

“I do.”

“So are you going to help me?” Rhodey looked at him with this pleading expression on his face now and Tony already knew his answer.

“Pepper will kill you if she finds out about this.” He said instead.

“That wasn’t the question.” Rhodey crossed his arms and sighed.

“What if I don’t want to be confronted with that stuff anymore?” Tony asked curiously. “After all, I quit.”

“I would totally understand that.” Rhodey sighed. “So I have to look for someone else who can fix it?”

“No.” Tony told him with a wide smile on his lips.

“Alright, but – Wait. No?!?” Rhodey’s eyes widened and Tony had to laugh at the confused look on his friend’s face.

“Nope.” Tony grinned at him broadly. “I’m going to help you with your suit. But it would be better if Pepper doesn’t know about it.”

Rhodey nodded. “She won’t hear a word about it.”

“And if she does, it’s your life which is going to end.” Tony grinned.

“Thank you.” Rhodey muttered darkly.

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

Repairing Rhodey’s suit wasn’t difficult at all. Tony just had to exchange two wires and calibrate the steering mechanism again. Then the suit worked as if nothing had been broken. Rhodey was very grateful and he promised Tony not to tell anyone that he’d repaired it. But even though he was relieved, Rhodey seemed to be concerned which impacts this repair would have on him.

* * *

“Hey Tony, where have you been so long?” Pepper asked him as soon as he entered the living room.

“I’ve been at Rhodey’s for a while. Sorry, should have told you were I was.” He apologized.

“No, it’s okay. I mean, you’re grown-up and I am not able to decide whether you visit your best friend or not.” She smiled at him. “Although I don’t like it.”

Tony sat down next to her and put his arm around her. “Shall I be honest with you? Going to that presentation was a really bad idea.”

“And you are telling me that because…”

“You’ve persuaded me to go.”

“It wouldn’t have been polite to turn down an invitation.” She protested and looked at him indignantly.

“Yeah, if I was still in the weapons business.”

“No, it would have been impolite now, too.”

“If you say so.” He yawned. “It was boring. The jets are good, that’s true, but they could make better ones.”

“No, _you_ could make better ones. They’ve done their best.” She smiled at him. “Now it’s my turn to tell you something?” The anticipation in her voice was obvious, so he became curious. He sat up and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “I’m listening.”

“I’ve published the news about our new reactor!”

“ _You’ve what?_ ” That was a surprise. A big surprise. It was so surprising, that he was actually surprised. 

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Are you even listening to me?”

“I am listening to you, I understood what you’ve said and now I am working on believing it.”

She frowned. “Why is that?”

“I didn’t believe that you would do it so soon. I mean, we don’t even know if the reactor will work correctly. We’ve just done some tests. That’s by far not enough.”

“But the tests were successful!”

“The tests were… successful?” He asked slowly and stared at her. They’ve been faster than he’d expected them to be. And that everything was working was a very good surprise.

Pepper nodded happily. “You did it!” She cried.

Before she knew what happened, Tony had already lifted her and kissed her deeply. After the kiss, she smiled at him brightly. “I love you.” She whispered into his ear.

“I love you too.”

“Well, I think there’s an easy way to prove that.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the bedroom, a grin on her lips.

* * *

He woke up in the morning. Pepper was lying next to him, smiling peacefully in her sleep. Tony stroked her cheek gently. She looked really beautiful when she was asleep. Not worried or lost in thought, like she was so often when she was awake. But he also loved her laughing wrinkles and her smile. He was lucky to have her. Never again would he let something bad happen to her. She was his everything. He couldn’t live without her. Life would be like hell.

While she was kidnapped by the Mandarin, Tony has felt the desperation of losing somebody you love. It was cruel. It has felt like his heart was burning in his chest. He hadn’t been able to think about something else than saving her.

And now he wasn’t Iron Man anymore. He had no suits and no weapons. Suddenly, he realized that he couldn’t protect her anymore. She was completely unprotected, even if she was with him. And that was because he was defenseless, too. He may be a genius and one of the smartest people of the planet, but it was the suit, it was Iron Man, who’d protected all these people out there. As Tony Stark, he wasn’t capable to do that, even if he wanted it.

_She needs to be safe. I can’t risk losing her again_ he thought frantically. 

And then it hit him.

Why didn’t he think about that before?

* * *

“Tony?” Pepper asked sleepily.

“I’m here, Pepper.” He answered softly and smiled. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Morning.” She rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”

“It’s half past six.”

“What? Half past six? Are you kidding me? We should have gotten up an hour ago!” Quickly, she stood up and walked towards the bathroom. “I have to be at Stark Industries at eight o’clock!” A few minutes later, she left the room again. She was fully clothed and had put on her makeup.

Tony looked at her surprised. “How did you do that so quickly?” He shook his head and smiled.

“That’s a secret.” Pepper grinned and left the room.

Ten minutes later, Tony was fully clothed too. He walked into the kitchen to see Pepper sitting at the table. He sat down next to her. “I guess that you’ve got some important meetings today?”

“Yes, sadly. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m going to work on the household robots in my lab.” He shrugged.

She seemed to believe it since she didn’t ask any questions. His real plans were also taking place in his lab, but they were much bigger than some boring robots.

_If she knew…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“JARVIS, are the cameras ready?”

“ _Yes sir, the record can start every second_.” JARVIS replied.

“Well, then we can start.” Tony grinned and looked to the robot with the extinguisher which was standing next to him. “And you” he pointed at him “don’t have to do anything if I don’t start to burn, alright? And I won’t burn because I haven’t made any mistakes.” He looked at him threateningly for a few more seconds.

He shook his legs again and took a relaxed posture. “Start record number one. First test of the Mark 2.1 equipped with all things that the old suit had. That means all kinds of weapons, the ability to find me and improved speed. I’m still working on the magic hat mode, so we’ll leave it out now.” He smiled into the camera. Then he made a strange pose in which he stretched out his arms in a laborious way. 

Nothing happened.

Tony frowned. Then he made a different pose, in which he jumped, so he stood with his legs apart. With the hands he made a posture like Thor when he called flashes. 

Again nothing happened. 

_Have I done something wrong?_ he thought. Impossible. He was Tony Stark, a genius. And he’s done it many times before. Building a suit wasn’t very difficult. He couldn’t have forgotten how to do it. It was one of his favorite activities and he was very good at it. At least he thought that. 

**Smack!**

_That hurt._

Apparently, it worked. Why did he know it? 

He knew it because something had hit him. Hard. On a spot which wasn’t very pleasing. He would have to work on that. Definitely. 

Before he knew what was happening, the other parts of the suit came to him. Luckily, none of them hit him again. The last part, the mask, he had to catch, but that wasn’t very difficult. He’d done it before a few times before. During the fight against the Mandarin. The old suit had that mistake, too. But now he would remedy it. And many other things. This suit would be better than the others. Hopefully.

Suddenly, he heard a hissing sound and he was shrouded with white mist.

“I TOLD YOU NOT TO EXTINGUISH ME!!!!”

* * *

“I’m back!” Pepper called loudly.

Tony smiled when she walked into the kitchen where he was already sitting on the table. “Did you have a nice day?”

She rolled her eyes. “As if a day at Stark Industries would be nice.” She muttered and made a face.

He grinned at her. “I know you like working there.”

“I do. But it’s exhausting.” Pepper kissed him and sat down next to him. Then she frowned. “Do you smell that too?”

“Do I smell what?” He asked and raised his eyebrows.

“It smells strange. Did you use an extinguisher?” She looked at him curiously.

“Um… no?” He crossed his arms.

She grinned. “You did!”

“I didn’t!” He protested immediately.

“You just don’t want to admit that something on the robots didn’t work!”

If he said no again, would she ask questions about what really happened? Should he let her believe that he has worked on household robots?

“Okay, I admit it. You’re right. Something started to glow and before it started to burn, I had to extinguish it.” He sighed as if he wouldn’t be happy about telling her all this.

“Everyone can make a mistake sometimes.” She said softly. “Even Tony Stark.”

“I know.” He muttered darkly, trying to look frustrated.

“And –“ She continued, but he interrupted her.

“Could we please stop talking about it?” Tony was really sounding frustrated now.

“Oh, alright.” Apparently, she seemed to believe that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore since he was annoyed. He barely made mistakes. So she stopped. That was a good thing, wasn’t it? He wouldn’t have to tell her about the suit. At least not now.

“Do you want to go out and eat something?” Pepper asked with a smile. “I know a very good restaurant which isn’t far away.”

He hesitated. “Well, any other day I would say that that’s great, but I want to fix the robots.” He looked at her apologetically.

She still smiled. “It’s fine, I understand that you want to finish your work first. I also wanted to do some paperwork for the company.”

“I love you.” He said while shaking his head. “You’re the best.”

“I know.” She grinned.

* * *

“Did you find your name tag?” Happy asked. Pepper had just left the kitchen and he was about to go to his lab too, when Happy walked in.

_Oh shit. I haven’t thought about that at all… I need to make something up._

“Sadly, no.” He made a concerned face. “The plaster robot must have taken it.”

Happy’s smile faded. “Oh. Well… then I’ll get you a new one…?” It sounded more like a question than a statement.

Tony nodded encouragingly. “That would be great, thank you Happy.” He stood up slowly. “Could you give it to me when I enter Stark Industries the next time? I don’t want to forget it again.” He still thought that it was stupid to wear a name tag in his own company.

The other man nodded. “Sure.”

Slowly, Tony started to walk towards the stairs to enter his lab. The suit had hit him really hard because he was walking with legs apart. He hoped that Happy wouldn’t notice it, but of course he did. “Sir…?”

“No. I don’t want to explain to you what happened. And no, you’ll never get to know it. No one will.”

“But…”

Tony sighed. “Could you do me a favor?”

“Of course.”

“SHUT UP!”

* * *

In his lab, he sat down on his favorite chair. He was feeling guilty because he had yelled at Happy but at the same time, he thought that he deserved it. You don’t ask questions like that. That wasn’t very polite. If Pepper or Rhodey had asked, it would’ve been different. They were his best friends and he told them nearly everything.

But he was Happy’s boss. Their relationship was mostly for business. He liked him, but that was it. They couldn’t be friends.

_Yeah, right. That’s very clever, Tony. Don’t let anyone come close to you. Don’t get friends. Be alone forever. You’re an idiot, you know? You need friends! Without them, you’ll never be able to be completely happy._

But they also made him vulnerable.

_Pepper made you, too. And Rhodey. But they could be your friends. And more. They were his family._

On the other hand, friends were helpful. And they made it voluntarily.

_I must think about that._

* * *

“JARVIS, is everything ready?”

“ _Yes, sir. The values are constant, and everything should work_.”

“Well, then I hope that you’re right. Where’s Pepper now?”

“ _Mrs. Potts is in her office working on the reports of the new generator_.”

“And Rhodey?”

“ _He is on a mission in Israel_.” JARVIS answered all his questions.

He nodded slowly. “Okay, that should work. They won’t see me. And no camera will catch a photo of me?”

“ _Unlikely_.”

“Then let’s go.”

And with that, the Iron Man suit took off into the air.

It was a great feeling to fly again. Everything was so small, and he felt free. He’d missed it, that was obvious. And the new suit was even faster and more agile than the old ones. Malibu was very small from up here. Tony flew over the place where his old house has been standing. He thought about the day when he destroyed the Arc reactor. Now there was a new one, not in his chest but in the suit. It hadn’t been too difficult to install it in the suit and it worked even better than the old one since it wasn’t stealing energy from Tony when it was necessary.

Now there was just the problem that he couldn’t wear the suit in the public, because Pepper and Rhodey thought that he wasn’t Iron Man anymore. But maybe that would change soon. Sometimes everything changed very quickly, he knew that too well.

_I hope it changes very soon…_

* * *

“ _Mr. Stark, there’s someone who wants to visit you_.” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony looked up from his suit and frowned. Who could that be? Pepper was still at work and Rhodey was in Israel. He hoped that it wouldn’t be Happy. The thing with the name tag was enough for a few months.  _You wanted to be nice to him_ a voice inside his head said. And that was right. But why was he visiting him now?

“ _Sir_ …?” JARVIS began to ask, but Tony interrupted him.

“I’m on my way.” Tony stood up and left his lab. He walked to the front door and opened it, just to look very surprised. He hadn’t expected _this_ person to visit him. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“What are _you_ doing here?” Tony asked in surprise. 

“I was in LA and because I’ve heard of all the things that have happened, I wanted to visit you.”

“And why do you want to visit me?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

“Talking about the good old times?” the visitor asked with a slight smile.

“I thought you didn’t like me. I was just part of the team and necessary for your plans.” Tony said slowly.

The person in front of him was looking at him with wide eyes. “What gave you the reason to believe that?”

“Well, we had lots of fights and you kind of wanted to punch me in the face. On various occasions, I have to add.” Tony explained.

“But that was _before_ the battle! Then everything changed!” The person, who was a little pale now, seemed to become desperate. It seemed like Tony’s words were unexpected. 

The fact that he was able to make someone that nervous and insecure made Tony start to grin. “I think you should know by now when I’m joking and when not, Cap.” He said. “After all, we spent some time together while searching Loki and the Tesseract.”

Steve Rogers, alias Captain America, relaxed and shot him a reproachful look. Then he began to grin too and rolled his eyes theatrically. “I should’ve known it!”

“Should have known what? That I like to joke?” Tony grinned at him too.

“That you’re still an asshole!” Steve muttered.

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Why should that change?” He stepped aside and Steve entered the house as well. They walked into the living room and sat down, Tony on the sofa and Steve in an armchair. Then Tony told him everything about the fight with the Mandarin. Steve was very impressed when he heard what Tony’s latest suit was able to do.

Then Steve told him what he’d been doing since the events in New York.

“I’ve travelled a lot. I was in the ice for a very long time and after that I haven’t tried to get to know the world. The events in New York made me kind of curious. All that technology and the things you were talking about, they sounded really cool.”

“And apart from travelling? Have you done anything else?” Tony asked and raised his eyebrows. “Next to the things that happened here in Malibu, your story is boring.”

“Well, not everyone has an exciting life, you know?” Did he just imagine it, or did Steve look unhappy while saying this?

“But you’re Captain America, you should save the world.” Tony threw in.

“And you’re Iron Man; you should do that, too.”

“I’ve done it many times.” Tony smiled masterfully. “And next to that, I’ve invented a new technology to produce clean energy.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “No need to get arrogant, Tony.” He paused for a few seconds. “And now the Arc reactor isn’t in your chest anymore?” He changed the subject.

Tony nodded. “I wanted to start a new life. I’ve even thought about giving up on Iron Man.”

“You’ve thought about _what?_ ” Steve cried and looked at him with wide eyes. “But you can’t do that! The world needs you! SHIELD needs you! The Avengers need you! _We_ need you!”

“Steve, calm down! I haven’t given up on him, I realized that I can’t do it. Iron Man is a part of my life and without it I’m not… _complete_ , you understand?”

Steve nodded slowly. “I think I couldn’t give up on Captain America as well. He’s a part of me. He makes me what I am. He’s changed my life and he defines it.”

“But even though I’ve created a new suit – the old ones were destroyed – I’ve got a problem.” Tony said hesitantly. Should he tell Steve what he’s told Pepper and Rhodey? Well, he was his friend. And he wouldn’t tell anyone what he’s done. Maybe he could give him a good advice.

Now Steve was the one to raise his eyebrows. “What kind of problem?”

“I’ve never thought that I would tell you about my problems, but now you’re here. So why should I waste this opportunity?” Tony paused. “No, listen. You’re my friend and I do trust you. I know that you won’t tell anyone and that you can help me.” He added when he saw Steve’s face. He didn’t like that Steve looked at him like he didn’t know what do expect. He wanted him to trust him, to like him.

“You’ve got my word that I won’t tell anyone about your problem.” Steve smiled at him reassuringly.

“I’ve told Pepper and Rhodey that I’ve given up on Iron Man.”

Steve’s smile vanished immediately. “Oh, not good. That’s really bad…” He muttered darkly and frowned.

Tony smiled weakly. “Yeah, I know. What am I going to do now?”

“You have to tell them that you can’t give up on him.” Steve said sternly.

“And how should I do that?” Tony ran a hand through his hair again. It rarely happened that Tony Stark needed advice.

“Gently. Try to explain why you can’t give up on him. How you would feel if you wouldn’t be able to help them when there’s danger.” Steve told him. “They will understand this, I’m sure.”

Tony nodded slowly. “That’s an idea.”

Steve grinned. “You may be more intelligent, but when it’s about feelings, I’m the better man.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Oh shut up, Rogers!”

* * *

The rest of the afternoon, they were talking about unimportant things like politics or how bad some criminals looked. And Steve told him how he became Captain America and how it felt to have supernatural powers. After that, Tony told him about the events that made him create the Iron Man suit. It was the first time that he was talking about those things to anyone except Pepper, Rhodey or Happy. And he’s told Bruce about it, but that was to give him hope. He wanted to help him accept the Hulk – or  _Other Guy_ , how he called it.

When he’d finished his report, he showed Steve the new suit. Steve was very impressed because the thought that the suit he wore in New York was already extraordinary.

At 8 o’clock pm, Steve went home, and Tony was alone again. They promised to talk regularly.

He sat down on the bed and thought about the things he’d told Steve. When he was there, he felt very optimistic. Like everything was possible. And maybe that was true.

* * *

“Tony, I’m home!” Pepper whispered. It was in the evening and Tony was already in bed.

“You’re late.” He muttered.

She looked down at her feet. “There was a lot of work to do and then Happy began to tell me the story about your name tag and how he’d caught someone who wanted to steal a trash can.”

“Someone wanted to steal _a trash can_?” Tony sat up and raised his eyebrows. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

“It turned out that it was the janitor who wanted to empty it.” Pepper answered in an annoyed voice and rolled her eyes. “You know that Happy overacts sometimes, right?”

“Oh, right.”

“And what’ve you done the whole day?” She asked with a smile and sat down next to him.

“I’ve had an unexpected visitor.” Tony answered.

She frowned. “Who was it?”

“No need to worry, Pepper. It was Steve” Tony grinned. “But if you think that we’ve got an affair…”

“Steve?” Pepper interrupted him a little confused.

“Um… yeah. Steve Rogers, Captain America, you know?” He made a gesture with his hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My thoughts were somewhere else.”

“At you’re lovers house?”

“What? No! What makes you think that? I don’t have a lover, I love you! Only you and nobody else!” She muttered and looked at him with wide eyes.

Tony laughed quietly. “I know, that was a joke!”

She looked at him angrily and hit him on the arm. “You’re an idiot, you know?”

“I know, but you love me either way.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sadly, that’s true.” Then she leaned in to kiss him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone who's reading this, I know that the first chapters weren't the best. Not much happens, but I promise that it will change soon! As I said, I started this ages ago. 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

“Well, you know that I’ve told you that I’ve given up on Iron Man.” Tony began his speech. It was Saturday evening and Pepper and Rhodey were sitting on the couch while he was standing in front of them. They both looked very confused and skeptical, as if they feared the things he was about to tell them.

Rhodey nodded. “That’s right.” He said slowly. There was a thoughtful look on his face, as if he was already expecting Tony to tell them something important. How much did his best friend suspect already?

“And why are you reminding us of that?” Pepper raised her eyebrows.

“Well, maybe that wasn’t true at all.” Tony made a deliberative gesture.

“What do you mean?” She sounded confused and… _hurt._ That wasn’t what he wanted. In his imagination, he’d told them everything and then they would have understood his reasons. But that was… well not unexpected. But he felt uncomfortable.

“I wanted to give up on Iron Man. But I couldn’t.” He looked at them and sighed. “He’s a part of me. He’ll never stop. I can’t…. No, let’s say: Without him, I’m not myself anymore. I do always have the feeling that something terrible is going to happen and then I can’t protect you. I feel helpless. And it’s like… I don’t have a mission anymore. I can’t just sit here and invent new technologies for the company, that _kills_ me. Since the events in Afghanistan I’ve changed, you know that. I do care for the events in the world and that means that I’ve got to be out there. And as Tony Stark, I can’t be there. I can’t help anyone.”

Rhodey and Pepper looked at him speechlessly and with wide eyes. Then Rhodey nodded slowly. “I think I know what you mean. Since you’ve destroyed all the suits and the Arc reactor, you were… restless. You were always lost in thoughts and not really…  _here._ I missed your sarcastic comments.” He smiled slightly. 

“You’ll continue to be Iron Man.” Pepper interrupted Rhodey quietly. She sounded very shocked and really hurt. “So the goddamn suit is more important to you than I am.”

“What? No! That’s not what I meant! I wanted to give up on him, I’ve really tried! But I couldn’t. There was always the fear that something might happen, and you weren’t protected. Maybe someone wanted to blow up my house? Or kidnap you just to get me? What would happen then? I wouldn’t be able to protect you, but that’s my job! If something would happen to you and it would be my fault, I couldn’t live with that thought! I just want you to be safe!” Tony looked at her entreatingly. He must’ve sounded very desperate because Rhodey was looking at him compassionately and even Pepper looked like she wanted to comfort him now.

“Well…” She hesitated. “I don’t like it, that should be clear. But if you do really feel like that… then I can’t forbid you to be Iron Man again.” She didn’t sound happy at all.

“Not again.” Rhodey smiled a little bit. “He’s never stopped. He’ll always be.”

“And about the suit. I think you should know that I’ve already built a new one.”

“You have what?!?” Pepper cried. “Alright, the thing about being Iron Man because you can’t stand the thought that I might be in danger is fine, I can understand it. And I won’t say anything against it because I want you to be happy. But that? You know that you’ve lied to me, right? You could have told me that you still want to be Iron Man _before_ building a suit!” She turned to Rhodey, her arms crossed and an angry look on her face. “Say something!”

“You’ve got a new suit? Is it better than the old ones? Can I see it?” Rhodey asked, ignoring Pepper and her anger. He rather sounded excited.

Tony grinned at Rhodey. “Much better. Of course you can.” Then he looked at Pepper apologetically. “I’m sorry, I know that it was stupid. But I was afraid that you wouldn’t understand me.”

“And now you weren’t?” His arguments didn’t seem to convince her.

“You remember that Steve was here?” Tony asked instead of answering.

She nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“Steve?” Rhodey interrupted with raised eyebrows.

Tony nodded. “Yeah, Steve. Captain America, one of the Avengers. Friend of mine. Blond hair, very muscular, pretty –“

“I think he knows who you mean.” Pepper said shortly and with an annoyed look.

“Sorry. Well, I’ve talked to him about the whole situation and he gave me some advises. And he said that, if you really love me, you will understand me.”

His words were followed by silence.

“Could you please say something?” Tony laughed nervously. “And don’t look at me like that.” He muttered and tried to ignore the surprise on her face.

“He was right.” Pepper said quietly.

“Excuse me?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Steve. He was right. I love you and that’s why I should accept your decision. I can’t forbid you anything and if I would try, things would get worse. But they aren’t even bad. Everything’s alright.” It seemed like it wasn’t easy for her to say those words.

“Wow, I didn’t expect that.”

“What did you thought would’ve happened?” Rhodey asked curiously.

“I thought that she would leave or kill me.” Tony answered and looked at Pepper, who smiled now.

“Could have happened.” She muttered.

Tony smiled, too. “Well, maybe I can still make you angry.”

“Sounds good.” She stood up and put her hands on his chest. “Maybe when we’re in bed…” she whispered into his ear and kissed him slowly.

Tony kissed her back and smiled at her lips. “Can’ wait.”

“Um… guys?” Rhodey still sat on the couch and seemed to feel like he was at the wrong place.

“Later.” Tony murmured and continued to kiss Pepper.

“Call me.” With those words, Rhodey walked out of the room, leaving Tony and Pepper alone.

“Now we’re alone.” Pepper whispered.

“Finally.” Tony lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

“Are you ready?” Tony asked with a grin.

Rhodey nodded and grinned back. “I can’t wait.”

“Then let’s go.” With these words, Tony made a heroic gesture.

Suddenly, the Iron Man suit came to him and began to put itself on. First the hands, then the shoes, the legs, the chest and then the head. Rhodey looked very impressed, even though he’d seen the process a few times already. “You’re brilliant, you know?”

“Of course. After all, I’m the son of Howard Stark and a genius. JARVIS, is everything alright?”

“ _The values are stable, and all systems are ready to be used_.” JARVIS answered.

“The Arc reactor in the suit?”

“ _It’s working_.”

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head. “If it wouldn’t work, I wouldn’t be able to move, right?”

“ _Yes, sir_.” 

Rhodey laughed and covered his mouth with his hand. “Sorry.” Then he walked around Tony and looked at the suit closely. “It’s not as… bulky as mine.”

“I’ve made some improvements.” Tony smiled, even if Rhodey couldn’t see it.

“I see… Is it fast?”

“Faster than yours.”

“Are you sure?”

“Uncompromisingly.”

Rhodey grinned. “Let’s see.” He grabbed the key to his car. “I just have to get the War Machine.”

* * *

“3… 2… 1… GO!”

With those words the two suits, Iron Man and War Machine, lifted into the air. After a few seconds, it was clear that the Iron Man suit was much faster. Tony left Rhodey far behind.

“ _Not fair_!” Rhodey complained. 

“What? That my suit is better? Maybe you should search someone who can build you a better one.” Tony grinned.

“ _You know that nobody except you can build a suit like this_.”

“Then stop complaining and be happy that you have one.”

“ _Stark_.”

“Rhodes.”

“ _One day, I’m going to kill you_.”

“I’d like to see that.”

Then they both started laughing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The following weeks, Tony wasn’t forced to hide his work on the suit anymore. Rhodey was very interested in it and he visited very often. Then they argued about which suit was the better one and they made some offset flights. Sometimes, a few citizens or reporters saw them – Iron Man and War Machine – flying together and were very excited. Then the media speculated if they were working on something together for weeks.

The only person who wasn’t too happy with Tony working on his suit was Pepper. Even though she told him that she was okay with him being Iron Man, she didn’t like it. Tony saw that. And it disappointed him a little bit. Pepper was his everything and he loved her more than anything else. He supported her in every way possible and encouraged her when it was necessary. But she avoided entering his workshop and when he talked about his suit, she seemed to be somewhere else in thoughts.

Tony didn’t know what to do about it, so he wanted to ask Steve at his next visit. But until then it could be weeks because Captain America was on a mission in Brazil.

* * *

One day at dinner, Pepper asked Tony what he’s been doing all day. “I’ve had a meeting with someone who was interested in the new technology of Stark Industries.” She told him with a smile.

“I’ve been in my workshop. The new suit is very good, just a few improvements and it’s perfect.”

Her smile faded. “Oh, that’s good. I’m very happy for you.”

Tony dropped his fork. “Would sound different. I think we need to talk.”

“Do you?” She raised her eyebrows.

Tony nodded. “Apparently, you aren’t happy with me working on my suit.”

Now she dropped her fork too and sighed. “I do understand your reasons for being Iron Man again and I’m fine with it, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like your decision, right?”

“So you’re alright with it, but at the same time, you don’t like it?” Tony smiled wryly. “I don’t think that it makes sense.”

“Well, for me it does!” She said angrily. “You don’t have to understand that! Just don’t speak about those things while I’m around. Then everything’s fine.”

She looked at him with a pleading expression.

_What the hell…?_ Tony was confused. At first, she was nice, then angry and now she pleads me to do something?  _I don’t understand women…_

“Well…” He said hesitantly. “I don’t know if I can avoid talking about this every time you’re around. But I can try!” he added quickly when he saw the look on her face. “All you should know is that Iron Man’s a part of me and I can’t just forget it or something like that.”

She nodded and took her fork again. “The steak is really good, isn’t it?” She asked friendly and smiled.

_Doesn’t look like mood fluctuations…_

* * *

The next weeks, Tony avoided to talk about the suit or his plans for a new mission to see if the suit was working. When Pepper was around, he wanted to know everything about the company and the people who bought his technologies. Or they just talked about people they met or movies they watched.

The other superheroes who were part of the Avengers were also not mentioned. But most of their doings were held secret, so there wouldn't have been much to talk about anyway. The only things Tony knew were that Thor was on Asgard with Loki and that Bruce wanted to help people again. Natasha and Clint were on a top-secret SHIELD. mission and Steve probably, too. 

So he was the only one of them who was sitting at home and doing nothing. Of course that thought bothered him. Very much. Very, very much.

He had to do something about it.

* * *

"JARVIS, get me a list of the most important events in the whole world."

" _Of course, Sir. Do you want to try the suit_ ?" 

Tony nodded and looked at the monitor in front of him. In Afghanistan, the terrorists were very calm now. Presumably, they were inventing new technologies to fight against other countries who wanted to defeat them.

And then he saw something very interesting. A group of terrorists has attacked a military basis in Iraq which was close to a warehouse with nuclear weapons. That wasn't good. Tony had to do something about it. If the terrorists would get the weapons, they would be a big threat to the whole word.

"What is going on there now, JARVIS?" He demanded to know.

" _The soldiers at the station are still fighting, but the enemies will beat them soon. They are stronger because they have weapons which are much like the ones you produced a few years ago_ ." JARVIS informed him.

"Like them?"

" _Yes, they have tried to re-build them. The only problem is that they are exploding sometimes, even before they can shoot them off_ ." 

A grin appeared on Tony's face. "I think we should show them how good weapons work."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Tony didn’t tell Pepper or anyone else that he left. Why should he? He has never done that before and just because he had thought of giving up Iron Man, they had no right to control him or something like that.

“JARVIS, is everything stable?” He asked with a smile.

“ _Yes, Sir. Everything seems to be in perfect order. The suit is working even better than the previous ones. I think it is because the reactor isn’t in your chest anymore, so it doesn’t have to use energy for keeping you alive as well. There should be no problems with the power supplies anymore_.” 

Tony grinned even wider now. “Sounds great. So the surgery really was a good decision.”

“ _Yes, it was. Not just for your health, but also for your suit_.” 

“I’ll try to remember that.” Tony remarked and closed his eyes for a moment. He loved it to fly in his suit! It was always such a great feeling. He never felt freer.

“ _Sir, you will reach the military base soon. Shall I check on your weapons again_?” 

“Good idea, JARVIS.” Tony murmured and became serious. The time of being happy was over for now, he had to concentrate.

JARVIS showed him a picture of the surroundings and Tony noticed that the base was close to a few mountains. The warehouse with the nuclear weapons was a few miles east, so it wasn’t that easy to reach for the terrorists. They would have to cross the mountains first. Which didn’t seem to be easy. Otherwise, they would have already done it, wouldn’t they?

“ _All your weapons are ready to be used, Sir_.” JARVIS said and Tony nodded to himself. He had expected this, but it was always good to check everything before a battle. His experiences with the Mandarin have shown him how hard it was to fight without functional weapons, and he wasn’t keen on having that again. 

“That’s good, thanks JARVIS.” Tony said slowly and scanned the base again. It was unlikely that they hadn’t noticed him by now. But why weren’t they shooting at him? What were they waiting for?

“ _Sir, there’s a jet coming after you_.” JARVIS informed him.

So this was their plan. Without thinking about it, Tony turned to the right and flew a circle. From the corner of his eye, he could glance at his follower. However, he had imitated Tony’s movement and was still behind him. Tony tried to fly a little lower, but that didn’t seem to affect his follower as well.

“How can we get rid of him?” Tony asked and his mind was racing. Suddenly, he heard shooting behind him. The jet was trying to shoot him out of the sky! Luckily, he wasn’t an easy target. Since flying lower wasn’t of any use, Tony tried something else – and was flying vertical now. The jet flew away right under him and since it couldn’t imitate this movement, it had to make a big turn. That was the time Tony needed to aim at it and shoot.

Now there were many people running outside of the base. Tony knew that they wanted to place a missile there immediately. He had worked with weapons long enough to know how such a construction looked like. “JARVIS, how much power will I need to blow that thing up?”

“ _If you don’t want to destroy the base as well, it will need ten percent of your energy_.” JARVIS told him and Tony made an impressed sound. He had expected it to take more. In his former suits, something like that would have needed at least thirty percentages of his energy. 

“So let’s do it!” He decided and flew directly towards the base. About three hundred meters in front of it, he let go of his own missile – which was about as tall as a large pencil. Then he landed on the ground. When he stood up slowly, everything in front of him was on fire. The explosion had set the roof of the base on fire and the people who weren’t running towards him were trying to extinguish the fire.

The rest of the fight wasn’t really exciting. The terrorists were shooting at Tony, but his suit protected him from the bullets. It didn’t take long until he had prevented them all from doing any harm – they were tied up now and he had contacted American soldiers from a station nearby who would take care of them. They have tried to deal with this problem for a sometime by now, however they hadn’t been successful. The mountains had been in their way as well.

When he made his way back from the base, he couldn’t resist looking at the warehouse with the nuclear weapons. When he flew over it, the people were standing outside and were cheering. Somehow, he had missed this feeling.

* * *

“Where the hell have you been?” Pepper asked loudly once Tony set foot in the apartment in Malibu again. “We have been searching you everywhere! There was no note, nothing. And then we realized the suit was gone –“

“Pepper, calm down!” Tony raised his hands in a calming gesture and hoped that it worked. It never did. “I was just out for some time –“

“You were gone for hours! And then Rhodey called and told me to switch on the TV. Can you imagine what I saw?” She had crossed her arms now and was looking at him with an angry expression on her face.

“I know I should have left a note and I’m sorry for that.” Tony said and took a step back. “But this was urgent, I felt like I had to do something. We’ve talked about all this before!”

“But I didn’t think that you would go out on your own that soon again!” Pepper’s voice was becoming louder now, and Tony took a deep breath. Why couldn’t she just try to understand him?

“And what did you want me to do? Sit here all day and do nothing?”

“You could help me with the company!”

“I did! I created the new reactor for clean energy, didn’t I?” Tony realized that he was getting louder as well, but he didn’t care. She always had to begin a fight when he was talking about Iron Man. Or she tried to ignore the subject and acted as if he never said something about it. He had enough of it. This had to end now.

“But you could also help me with the other parts of the company!” Pepper barked and took a step towards him again.

“You always were completely fine with that job! You never asked me to help you with it, why now? Or do you just want to prevent me from being Iron Man?” He hadn’t planned to say it like this, but now it was too late.

If possible, Pepper’s expression darkened even more. “And what if I do?” She asked, her voice deadly calm now. Tony couldn’t believe what he just heard. Didn’t she tell him that she respected his decision just a few weeks ago? But she didn’t look happy about it back then if he thought about it more closely…

“You can’t do that.” Tony said coldly and shook his head. “And you know that very well. So why do you even try?”

“Because I don’t want the man I love to risk his life every day! Don’t you understand that? When you said that you wanted to stop being Iron Man, I was so happy! I thought you could do something with your life now and not always get yourself in danger. I thought we finally could have a real future – one in that superheroes don’t play the main part anymore. I really thought it was possible.” She paused and sighed. She looked at him as if she was searching something in his face. Tony didn’t know why and after some time, Pepper looked down, disappointment obvious on her face. Apparently, she didn’t find what she’s been searching for. “But I was wrong. You can’t give up on this.”

Tony looked at Pepper in silence. He loved her and it broke his heart to hear those things. Why couldn’t she just understand that those things had to be done? She understood it before – but then the Mandarin came and destroyed everything. Tony knew that the events and what happened to her have scared Pepper very much. He even understood that she didn’t want to know too much about those things anymore. But either way…

“You’re right.” He said finally, his voice was hoarse. “I can’t give up. It’s part of me, I’ve told you before. I thought you would try to understand it. You understood it once, remember?”

She closed her eyes as if his words hurt her. “Things were different then. What happened… to me, it let me see things in a different way.”

Tony wanted to take a step towards her, to take her into his arms. But he didn’t dare to do it. He just couldn’t. They had to talk about this now. Running away from it wasn’t an option anymore. Not after they had started this. And even if things would start to look better after today, what would she say when he went out the next time? He knew it would be the same all over again.

“I know that, Pep. But I must be able to protect the ones I love. I have to protect _you_.” 

She still wasn’t looking at him. “Wasn’t it just because of you being Iron Man that I was tortured?”

It felt like she had hit him directly in the face. He stumbled a few steps backwards, away from her. “You don’t think that.” He murmured and tried to breathe deeply – in and out. Pepper couldn’t think about him this way. Tony closed his eyes and tried to calm down his heartbeat desperately.

“Tony…” Pepper’s voice was closer now and when he finally opened his eyes again, she was standing directly in front of him – looking worried. “I shouldn’t have said that, I’m sorry…” She began, but he cut her off.

“Don’t.” He muttered and took a step back again. “Don’t say that.” From the corner of his eyes, he saw the hurt expression on her face because he didn’t want to let her come closer. “Do you mean it?” It took him some time to ask this question, but it had to be done.

“Oh Tony, how could you possibly think that? I was just angry and hurt… _I love you_ , Tony. And you know that I hate the thought of you getting in danger.” She was whispering now and looked at him with a sad expression on her face. 

“You know I won’t stop being Iron Man.” He said again and began to walk through the room slowly. “Don’t promise me that you’ll try to be okay with it again. You did that before. More than once since I’ve had the surgery. The first time, you couldn’t stand it that long and after that, you tried to ignore everything about my work. Don’t you understand how this is for me?” He paused and raised his eyebrows. His arms were crossed now. “Don’t you know – It’s hard to know that the person you love most can’t understand you. You know all my reasons for being Iron Man. I want to do something good in this world. Yes, I’m risking my life with it. But there are many other people who do it as well. And they’re not always blamed for it.”

Suddenly, Pepper’s expression changed again. “I’m not blaming you!” She said and after they had just whispered in the past minutes, her loud voice made them both flinch.

Tony laughed dryly. “Then tell me what it is you’re doing.”

“I want to show you that you can also live your life in a different way. One that’s less dangerous!”

“And what if I don’t want that? Have you ever thought about this?” If Pepper has been loud before, Tony’s shout was much louder. “Since when do you always think of yourself first? The Pepper I fell in love with would never do that!”

She stared at him for a few seconds in disbelief. He has never shouted at her before. Finally, she found her voice again. “You would never give this up for anyone, would you?”

He shook his head silently.

“You wouldn’t even try it?”

He sighed. “I tried, remember? You know how it ended.”

“Tony…” She began again and took a few steps towards him. When he didn’t move, she stopped. “I will try to understand you better, I promise. Maybe – when you give me some time – I can try to be okay with it again. Like before. We could –“

The look he gave her made her stop. “Don’t promise me something you can’t keep.” He said slowly and closed his eyes. She wanted to get closer to him again, but he shook his head. “I need some time to think about this.” He said and touched her cheek softly. “I love you, you know that. But we need to figure this out first.”

Pepper swallowed and closed her eyes. Tears were starting to run down her cheeks. “Tony…”

“We’ll talk about this again. Just give me a few days.”

With those words, he left her standing alone in the living room and headed to his lab.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the newer parts of the story start. I have to say that I started writing this in 2013, then there was a pause and I started to continue writing regularly in 2019 and I'm still on it. So you might notice a difference between these chapters and the previous ones. 
> 
> It would also be awesome if you tell me your opinion. If no one's interested, I don't have to post the next 60 chapters here. 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

Tony was pacing in his lab nervously. Nearly a day had passed since his conversation with Pepper and he still felt terrible. JARVIS has told him that she had left the house this morning very early and until now, she hadn’t returned. Somehow, Tony was glad about it. He didn’t want to be confronted with this right now.

He knew that Pepper was really upset – he felt the same way – but those things had to be said. They couldn’t go on like this. He just couldn’t stand a relationship in which he wasn’t allowed to be himself anymore. It didn’t work.

Had he had known those things before? Probably. During the past weeks, Tony has started to realize that something was wrong between him and Pepper. Like something was missing. And now he knew what it was. Understanding. She didn’t want to see the things from his position anymore, she didn’t understand. And that nearly drove him crazy.

But what could he do? Did he really want to try again and let her become angry at everything he said without thinking about it before at least twice? Every time he has mentioned his work in the past weeks, she had tried to ignore it as best as possible. She has changed the subject or acted as if she didn’t hear him. Or she found something else to do and left. It was infuriating.

So there was the possibility of trying again, but it didn’t seem very likely that it worked. And what else could he do? He could leave for some time, there was still work for him to do in New York and maybe some of the Avengers would be at the tower as well. Right now, running away seemed to be a good option. However, it didn’t solve their problem. Or he could just end things with Pepper and try to get over it… Also unlikely that he would be able to do it. Could he really let her go? What if she found someone else who wasn’t risking his life everyday – someone who could make her happy? What would he do then? The thought made him feel sick. He took a deep breath. So it would be a break for some time. Even if he doubted that Pepper would ever be able to understand him again. The previous events have changed her so much…

“ _Sir, Colonel Rhodes is at the front door and asks if he can come in. He says he wants to talk to you about something important_.” JARVIS told him and Tony sighed. He knew exactly what Rhodey wanted to talk about… 

“Let him in and tell him to come down to the lab.” Tony said and looked around. It was his normal chaos in here. He knew exactly where all his devices were laying, but for someone else it would look like hell. He touched the part of his suit he’s been working on thoughtfully.

It took Rhodey exactly three minutes and forty-five seconds to walk from the front door to the lab. When he entered, he smiled at Tony.

“It’s good to see you again, Tony. Thanks for seeing me.” He hesitated and Tony used his opportunity.

“Hey Rhodey, haven’t seen you for some time. Been busy working for the government?” He asked and smiled slightly. He hoped it didn’t look too forced.

“Protecting the president, to be exact.” Rhodey said, confused by this question.

“I think I already know why you’re here.” Tony said more slowly and leaned on one of his working tables. “So Pepper’s called you?”

Rhodey nodded silently. Of course she had.

“Don’t bother. Blame me for everything I said to her and tell me that I’m an idiot. I deserve it, I think.” Tony murmured and sighed. The smile vanished from his lips and he closed his eyes. He didn’t want to look too sad in front of his best friend.

“You really think I’m going to do that?” Rhodey asked and sat down on a chair that was standing in the middle of the room, close to the suit.

“Why would you be here then?” Tony asked without looking at him.

Silence followed his question and after some time, Tony finally opened his eyes. Rhodey was looking at him with a mixture of worry and thoughtfulness on his face. “You look terrible, you know that?” He asked instead of answering Tony’s question.

He nodded. “One of the effects that fights have. And then there’s lack of sleep and all those other things…. You know what I mean.” He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “I had to confront her with it. I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

Rhodey nodded slowly. “I understand that. Pepper told me what you said and even if she tried to deny it… I can imagine very well how Pepper acted these past weeks. The last time I was here, she was already behaving differently. Like she couldn’t stand us talking about out suits and my mission…”

Tony nodded. He remembered that evening very well. Because Pepper had left them alone right after dinner, something she would have never done before.

“Maybe I just shouldn’t have called her yesterday.” Rhodey said and looked down on the floor.

Tony shook his head. “No, don’t blame yourself now. It was good to tell her. Otherwise, we would have never talked about this and everything would still be…” He didn’t find the right words. That rarely happened to him.

“And what are you going to do now? You know you can always call me when you need someone to talk, right? That’s also why I came here today. I didn’t like the idea of you being alone.” Rhodey looked up at him again and Tony smiled. Rhodey’s words really made him feel a little better – not so alone anymore.

“I thought about going to New York for some time.” Tony said and shrugged. “I can continue to work at the suit there as well and I think the tower needs some improvements as well. And maybe some of the others will show up…” He made a gesture and Rhodey nodded. It seemed as if he didn’t like to ask his next question.

“And what about Pepper?”

The pain in his chest returned immediately. Tony swallowed. “I think we should take a break.” He said quietly and began to walk around the room again. Rhodey watched him with a worried expression on his face.

“You are sure about that?”

“What choice do I have? She will never stop blaming me for being Iron Man, I know that! And I can’t stop it. I’ve tried and you know how it ended. It’s a part of me I can’t just throw away.” He was talking a little louder now, his voice sounding agitated.

Slowly, Rhodey stood up. “I know exactly what you mean. I wouldn’t give up War Machine as well.”

“Wasn’t it Iron Patriot?” Tony asked out of a habit and Rhodey’s lips twitched.

“I hope it turns out to be the right decision for you.” He said and Tony stopped in front of him with a sigh. Rhodey put a hand on his shoulder. “You know you’ll break her heart, right?”

Tony nodded. “Since mine’s already broken…” He whispered sadly and shrugged. “I don’t have much to lose, do I?”

“I just hope you can deal with it. Both of you.” Rhodey was whispering now as well and his voice sounded sad.

“Pepper’s tough, you know she’ll get over it and continue as if nothing would have happened. She’ll put all her energy into the company. She’ll be alright.” He repeated and hoped that he was right.

However, Rhodey didn’t look convinced. “And you?” He asked instead of talking about Pepper anymore.

Tony shrugged again. “You know me. I can deal with everything.”

The look on Rhodey’s face made Tony fall silent again. “I hope you’re right…” Rhodey whispered and Tony closed his eyes.

* * *

After Rhodey left, Tony began to pack his things. He started in the lab, that’s where he needed the most things. Even if the lab in the tower in New York was as good as this one (or maybe even better), there were still a few things he didn’t have there. And that’s why they had to come with him. Of course the suits he built so far. And the other projects he has been working on. When he took one of them into his hands, he had to smile. He hoped Steve would like it.

When he had everything in the lab, he began to walk upstairs slowly. He hadn’t been there since his conversation with Pepper. JARVIS has told him that she was still in the company, so it was safe to go. He tried to find his things as fast as possible – he didn’t want to be reminded of what he left behind too long. It still took him about an hour to get all his clothes and everything else.

“ _Sir, Mrs. Potts has just arrived back here_.” JARVIS informed him and Tony held his breath. This was something he really didn’t want today. The bag with his clothes was standing in the living room, but he didn’t care right now. He just wanted to walk down to his lab again when the front door opened. Of course Pepper saw him, she had a talent at that. She stopped immediately, her hand still on the door. After a few moments, she closed it and walked into the house slowly. She didn’t say a word and Tony wouldn’t have wanted her to. That’s when she noticed the bag on the floor. 

“You’re leaving?” Her voice wasn’t much more than a whisper and he nodded silently. Slowly, he turned around and took a few steps towards her again.

“There are a few things in New York I have to deal with. I’ll leave soon.” He said, his mouth suddenly felt dry.

“How long will you be gone?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Depends on what happens there.”

She swallowed and closed her eyes. “So this was it, then? I’ve ruined everything?” Her voice was shaking, and Tony knew that she tried not to cry. Not now, in front of him. He would have loved to go to her, to take her into his arms and tell her that everything would be alright again. But he couldn’t. He didn’t want to lie to her.

“No, you haven’t ruined everything, Pep.” Tony tried to calm her down. “But we both need a break, don’t you see that as well?”

Slowly, she nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it today and maybe you’re right. Probably, a little distance will help us.”

He nodded. “You won’t try to stop me from leaving?”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t, even if I wanted it.” She reminded him and his lips twitched.

“You’ll be able to do all this here alone?” He asked and couldn’t stop himself from being worried.

Pepper nodded again. “I’m not that alone, remember? I’ve got Happy and there are others at the company who will help me… And if something really bad is going on, you’ve still got a phone, right?” She tried to smile, even if it didn’t look convincing.

Without thinking about it, Tony closed the distance between them and hugged her tightly. “Don’t forget me.” He whispered into her ear and she laughed. A short, broken laugh that finally made the tears fall down her cheeks.

“How could I forget you? It’s more likely that you’ll find someone else, after all you’re Tony Stark.” She tried to say it in a light tone, but it sounded far too sad.

“It’s still you, always remember that. Even if we have some problems right now.” Tony whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek. “I hope we’ll be able to figure that out.”

“I love you.” Pepper whispered and he tightened his grip around her waist.

“My Pepper.” He muttered and closed his eyes.

They stood there like this for a long time. Neither of them wanted to let go. Tony couldn’t believe what he had just done. He knew he still loved her, of course he did. But he hadn’t planned to get so close to her again. He wanted to leave without making everything even worse for them. Because he still wasn’t sure if they could figure it out again. He really hoped it, but no one could know what would happen in the future.

“ _Sir, there is someone trying to call you_.” JARVIS said into the silence of the house. Slowly, Tony and Pepper let go of each other. Peppers eyes were red, and she was still crying. Tony’s eyes were wet as well, and he smiled at Pepper sadly. 

“Who is it, JARVIS?” He asked and Pepper looked down to her feet.

“ _Agent Hill from SHIELD. She says it’s very urgent_.” 

“The second one today…” Tony muttered and crossed his arms. “I want to talk to her now.” He said and searched for his phone in his pockets. When he found it, he put it on his ear and began to walk around slowly. “Agent Hill, what a surprise! What happened that it so important that you’re calling me?”

She was talking for many minutes and Tony’s mood darkened with every word she said. Pepper seemed to realize that something was wrong as well (maybe because of the dark expression on Tony’s face) and she even managed to stop crying. When Maria Hill had finished her story, Tony nodded to himself.

“Of course I can do that. You’re working for me now. I’ll see you in New York soon, I’m on my way. And collect as many people as possible who are still trustworthy.” He listened to her answer and closed his eyes. “Try to find him as well. I don’t care if it seems impossible! He must be somewhere. Okay, yes, I get it. Then concentrate on what’s left of SHIELD. I’ll get the Cap.” Whit those words, he put down the phone.

Pepper looked at him in silence and Tony sighed. He was already walking towards his bag. “JARVIS, get the plane ready. Everything from my lab must go in there immediately. I have to go to New York.” He looked at Pepper again. “There’s been much trouble, I don’t have the time to explain it now. Just don’t trust anyone who’s not Happy, Rhodey, me or someone from the Avengers, understood?” 

Pepper was confused, he could see that, but there wasn’t time anymore. Their time was up for now. “Tony, you’re scaring me.” She whispered and he nodded.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll get to know what happened soon.” He walked towards her and touched her cheek one last time. Then he turned around and left without looking back. He was needed again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Tony shook his head when he watched the scene again. This couldn’t have happened.

He was sitting in front of a table in his private jet and looked at the screen in front of him. He has left Malibu immediately and the plane had started minutes after all his things have been there. Now they were heading to New York as fast as possible. Or at least that was the plan for now.

SHIELD didn’t exist anymore. Hydra was back. Fury was officially dead. And the Cap was missing after a fight with the Winter Soldier.

How was it possible that Tony had missed all those things?

Pepper. The answer was as easy as that. He had been distracted because of his problems with Pepper. But since they have found a solution for now, he could concentrate on this. And it was really important that he did it.

The agents of SHIELD who were left should work for him now. He had told this to Agent Maria Hill, and she had been relieved. So they couldn’t lose them to Hydra as well. And Hill would be some kind of personal assistant to Tony (he wasn’t sure if he liked that idea). However, he didn’t believe her that she had organized the whole evacuation and everything. There was something else she didn’t tell him.

For some time, Tony looked at the screen in silence. He tried to figure out what he had missed, while JARVIS was securing secret files of SHIELD. Maybe they would need them someday.

It took him about an hour until he found what he was searching for. A whole report of the events at Washington D.C. There were many codes to secure it, but they didn’t bother Tony very much. It wasn’t too difficult to get past them without being noticed. While reading the report, his eyes grew wide. This was far more serious than Hill or the news have told him.

When he came to the middle of the report, he couldn’t stop himself from grinning. There was it. A few lines about what happened to Alexander Pierce. The person in the report who dealt with him was just called F., but it couldn’t by anyone except Fury himself. So he was still alive. Tony had doubted the news that he was dead right from the beginning.

The rest of the report was just as disturbing as its beginning. The fight Steve has been involved in has been very serious and Steve has been injured badly. The Helicarriers were destroyed (luckily, even if Tony had needed much time to help Fury at constructing them) and so was the rest of the building. The Winter Soldier has escaped. And after his time at the hospital, Steve had disappeared as well. And so had his friend, Sam Wilson, also called Falcon.

Tony sighed. There was much work coming towards him.

He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes for a few moments. How has Hydra managed it to become this strong again? And why has no one noticed that?

And who was that Winter Soldier? The files said that he has been Bucky Barnes once, Steve’s best friend. He has vanished during the Second World War and everyone has thought that he had died. But he didn’t. Hydra had captured him and made experiments who turned him into some kind of weapon.

“JARVIS, when you finished your task, start to look for information about Bucky Barnes. I want to know who he was, what happened to him and who he is now. And I don’t care into whose files we’ve got to get into and how difficult it is.”

“ _Yes Sir, I’ll try to find out as much as possible about it_.” JARVIS said and Tony nodded. Right now, he had done everything that was possible. When the situation would be different, he would have called Pepper now and told her everything. However, he didn’t want to talk to her that soon again. So he closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. 

* * *

When Tony woke up again, they still needed about an hour until they would arrive in New York.

“ _I am collecting information about the Winter Soldier now, Sir_.” JARVIS told him when Tony slowly started to drink his coffee. “ _The SHIELD files are in your personal database now. And I have found out a few more things that could be of interest for you_.” 

“What are they, JARVIS?”

“ _I have found the place where Director Fury has been hiding when everyone thought that he was dead. However, he is not there anymore. Agent Hill has been there a few times and Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff were there once as well. Right after the incident in the bunker that has been mentioned in the report you read earlier_.” 

“They didn’t leave anything there, did they? I bet they didn’t, Fury never leaves any hints that he’s been there. But it would have been too easy, wouldn’t it?” Tony asked jokingly.

“ _The place has been destroyed_.” JARVIS said and Tony nodded to himself. So he couldn’t find out what Fury was up to. Maybe Hill knew something. But would she tell him? Of course she wouldn’t. Even if she was working for Tony now, her loyalty still belonged to Nick Fury. “ _The other things I found out are the whereabouts of Agent Romanoff, Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers_.” JARVIS continued.

At that, Tony nearly dropped his coffee. “How did you do that?”

“ _I searched the recordings of cameras on public places. It seems as if Mr. Wilson has returned to his apartment in Washington D.C. Now, Captain Rogers should be there as well_.” 

Tony made an impressed noise. “JARVIS, you’re great, you know that?” He asked and stood up.

“ _Thank you for the compliment, Sir_.” JARVIS said as polite as always. 

“I don’t need to know where Romanoff is, Hill said that there was a possibility to call her when she’s needed.” Tony was walking around impatiently now. “How long will it take us to arrive at the tower?”

“ _When everything works, you will be there in about one and a half hour_.” JARVIS told him and Tony made a face. 

“I’ll take the suit to go there. And then I’ll take a car, I don’t want to trouble the poor people in D.C. even more. Iron Man flying through the streets may be something that gets lots of attention. And I’m not sure if Cap wants that right now. After all, he’s vanished, right?”

* * *

When Tony entered the tower, nothing seemed to have changed. The top floors were empty as he had expected. But who should be there on his personal floors? And besides, they were locked so that no one could enter them when he wasn’t there.

“JARVIS, where are the others?”

“ _A few people have already arrived, they are still waiting on the ground floor. Agent Hill is there too. She’s trying to keep them calm and organize everything as good as possible_.” 

Without saying anything else, Tony went to the elevator.

There were far too many people standing and sitting in the entrance hall of the tower. When Tony arrived, everything started to get quiet slowly.

“Mr. Stark, it’s good to see you.” Maria Hill was walking towards him and they shook hands.

“Agent Hill.” Tony greeted her and she shook her head.

“Not anymore.” She said in a light tone and he raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve heard different things.” He said slowly and her face went blank.

“I shouldn’t have expected anything else.” Her mind was racing now, that was obvious.

“Why don’t we talk somewhere more private?” Tony asked and smiled widely. “Of course the first floor of the tower is ready for our new employees. Why don’t you tell them to go there and make themselves comfortable for now? I don’t think they like to sit here while we’re making decisions.” Hill nodded and told the SHIELD agents to go upstairs and get a room.

Back in his personal rooms on the top floors, Tony offered Maria Hill a drink and sat down on the couch. They both looked at the skyline of New York in silence for a few minutes.

“So you have found the report.” It wasn’t a question. Tony nodded.

“You knew that I would.” He said and now she was nodding.

“That’s why we placed it there. We knew that no one else would be able to find it. It’s been deleted an hour ago.”

“Very clever. So what’s going to happen to SHIELD now? It seems as if Fury wants to stay dead.”

“We’re continuing our work like before. Just that we can’t act that openly anymore and our agents can’t use our headquarters. And the orders won’t come from Fury anymore, but from me and some others. We’ll decide together most of the time.” Tony looked at Hill for a few moments. Somehow, he thought that she could really have success at that.

“And if something very bad happens, Fury comes to help again?”

She nodded. “But he won’t show himself too openly. Not everyone should know that he’s still there.”

“Easier for him to follow his own plans, isn’t it?” Tony didn’t expect an answer to this, and he didn’t get one. So he had hit a point there.

“And next to your work at SHIELD, you’re going to work for me as well?”

“I’ll be your personal assistant. And don’t worry about the time those two jobs need, I can handle it.”

Tony nodded. “I thought so.” He murmured. His thoughts were somewhere else already.

“You’re distracted.” Hill guessed and Tony raised his eyebrows again. “It’s my job to look through people’s masks. And to interpret their expressions. So what are you thinking?”

“Isn’t this question a little too personal, Mrs. Hill?” Tony asked politely and she grinned.

“You _are_ distracted.” She said and Tony rolled his eyes at the satisfied tone of her voice. 

“I have good news to you.” He said simply and her grin vanished. She was serious again.

“What do you mean?”

“On the phone, you told me that you feared that the Captain would go after Barnes.” Tony started and she narrowed her eyes.

“Yes, I think I can be honest with you now. Fury feared that he would try to find him. The Winter Soldier is strong and in their previous fights, Steve didn’t have a real chance to defeat him. Who knows what might happen when they’re confronted again.”

Tony could understand this very well. He has read the report a few times and according to it, Barnes was just as strong as Steve. Maybe even stronger when you thought of their last meeting. And if he killed – Shaking his head, Tony forced himself not to think of that.

“I know where he is.” He said simply and Hill’s eyes widened. So she hadn’t expected this, Tony thought and had to stop himself from grinning.

“Where?”

“I’ll go and talk to him.” Tony said simply, not answering her question.

“Where is he?” Hill asked again and Tony shook his head.

“If I’m successful, he’ll be here tomorrow.”

“And if he doesn’t want to come with you? What are you going to do then? You know that we need him.”

Tony nodded and stood up. “I’ll do my best.” He gestured Maria Hill to come to the elevator with him.

Slowly, she stood up and followed him. In the entrance hall of the tower, Tony turned to her again. "I’ll call you as soon as I know more about him. In the meantime, you can organize the agents waiting for you on the first floor.”

Hill looked as if she wanted to protest, but Tony had already left the building.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The apartment of Sam Wilson wasn’t difficult to find.

Tony had left his car on a parking lot a few streets away. It would have been far too obvious if he had stopped with it on the street right in front of the building. After all, he couldn’t be sure if they were pleased to see him.

He has tried to look inconspicuous as well, wearing a dark t-shirt, jeans and trainers. And of course his favorite cap and sunglasses. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a good disguise, but who cared? It was better than to run through the streets with a suit.

When he knocked on the door, there was silence for a long time. He already began to think that no one was there, when suddenly the door in front of him opened. It was just enough to look through it, but better than nothing. And after everything that happened in the past weeks, Tony would have been more carful as well.

The man in front of him was Sam Wilson, there was no doubt about that. Tony had seen him on a few pictures, and he had stolen a few records of cameras that showed him in D.C. a few days ago. His abilities as Falcon were impressing.

Now he was looking at Tony with a dark expression on his face, you could even call it hostile. “What do you want?” He growled and when Tony didn’t answer immediately, he raised his eyebrows slowly. “And who are you?”

Tony would have liked to raise his eyebrows as well, but for that he had to take off the sunglasses. And it wasn’t the right moment for that yet. “Are you always this friendly to someone who comes to help you?” He asked instead of saying anything about why he was there.

“Who said that you want to help me? And why do you even think that I could need help at anything? Have I done something wrong? As far as I know, I don’t do much except living my life here. Quite boring, to be honest.” He said it in a calm way, as if he was really confused that someone was standing at his door now. Tony thought that he wasn’t a bad actor. Of course there had been someone else at his door recently, and he hadn’t expected those persons as well. And because of them, he has become involved in one of the biggest conspiracies of the last years.

Tony laughed. “That’s very good, you know? When you say everything that calm, as if nothing happened at all. Look, I’m on your side. I really am. And if you would just let me in, I could explain everything a little better.”

Sam Wilson still looked mistrustful. “Who are you?” He asked and somehow, Tony had the feeling that he was preparing for an attack.

“Don’t look at me like that, I don’t think Cap would be happy if you start beating me up when I come over for a visit!” Tony said quickly and held up his hands. Apparently, his words had shocked Sam Wilson because he took a step back.

Without further hesitation, Tony took off his sunglasses and the cap. “Would you have been that nice if I would have come looking like this as well?”

Tony could see Sam Wilson’s mind racing when he finally realized who was standing on his doorstep. Slowly, he opened the door so that Tony could come in. When he closed it behind him, Tony heard a voice coming from another room, probably the kitchen. “Sam, who was at the door?”

“Someone’s here to see you, Steve.” Sam said and walked into the room where the voice had come from.

“Someone’s here to see me? _Here_? But how –“ Steve sounded confused. Taking a deep breath, Tony followed Sam into the room which really was the kitchen. 

“You know how it’s possible when you see who it is, I think.” Sam said and in that moment, Steve saw Tony entering the room.

First, he seemed to be frozen in shock. Tony couldn’t blame him for that. His visit was quite unexpected. He grinned. “Hey Cap, it’s good to see you. Heard you’ve been quite busy those past months.”

“Tony, what are you doing here?” Steve asked in a surprised tone and stood up. Tony didn’t expect Steve to hug him, but he didn’t protest.

“Came to see you, thought you could need some help.” Tony explained shortly and looked around. The kitchen was a complete mess, it didn’t look as if someone had cleaned up here recently. There was a bowl with cereals on the table where Steve had been sitting before. Strange time to eat something like that, Tony thought. It was late in the afternoon.

“What are you –“ Steve began, but then he shook his head. “Of course you know what’s been going on.” He didn’t sound surprised at all. “Who talked you into coming here?” They all sat down on the table and Tony began to play with his sunglasses.

“I got a call from Maria Hill. She didn’t tell me much about what happened, but I agreed to help her and what’s left of SHIELD. Don’t look surprised, by now you should know that I’m not as mean as I act sometimes! Well, however, she’s working for me now. And so are the agents that didn’t turn to Hydra. They’re staying in the tower for now, but I don’t think it’s a permanent solution. After all, they’re just working for me _officially_.” He stressed the last word and ran a hand through his hair. “ _Unofficially_ , they’re still doing their secret jobs and whatever they have done before. Hill needed a quick solution, I offered it to her. As easy as that. I don’t think Fury will be too mad about it.” He paused for a few seconds, looking at Steve. He still looked bad from his fight with Bucky. “So I got that call from Hill, left Malibu immediately and on my way to New York, I’ve looked at what you’ve been doing these past weeks. It’s quite impressing, to be honest. Even if it didn’t end too well either way.” 

“I should have known that you were getting involved in everything now as well.” Steve muttered and sighed. “It’s become far too complicated, I think.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. Next to Steve, Sam Wilson followed their conversation silently. “Nothing’s complicated. SHIELD is going to work as always, just not openly anymore, if it ever has done that before. The Avengers are still there to save the world,” At that, Steve smiled “And you don’t have to worry about your friend Bucky, or whatever you want to call him now.”

At the mentioning of Bucky, the atmosphere in the room changed immediately. Steve looked at Tony wide-eyed, while Sam narrowed his eyes. Tony just grinned at them. “You can’t expect me to miss something that important. I know you want to go after him.” He was saying that lightly, but Steve’s expression darkened.

“You won’t stop me from doing that.”

“I don’t plan to.” Tony answered honestly, which seemed to surprise Steve. “I just want to give you some advice.” He looked at his friend seriously now. “We both know what they’ve done to your friend and who he is now. We also know how your previous meetings have ended. And I think it’s not too difficult to guess how your next meeting would end. I know he recognized you somehow –“ Steve looked as if he wanted to say something, but Tony held up his hand. “It wasn’t in the report. I just guessed because you’re still alive. And your reaction just showed me that I was right. Yes, I know you think that your friend’s still in there, somewhere. But he’s dangerous. You can’t count on him recognizing you again. I’m in no position to stop you from going after him if you want it, but I can tell you that it’s not a good idea.” There was silence following his words. Tony leaned back in his seat. “And besides, he doesn’t want to be found now. Otherwise, JARVIS would already know where he is.”

This seemed to rip Steve out of his thoughts again. “You’re already looking for him?” He asked loudly and next to him, Sam looked at Steve reproachfully.

“For him and more information about what they’ve done to him, yes. I thought you could be interested in it.” Tony said and Steve shook his head slowly, still not able to believe what he just heard.

“Why are you doing this, Tony?” He asked and looked at him searchingly.

Tony shrugged. “I just want to help. Like I said before.” At the last words, he glanced at Sam, who was still sitting next to Steve silently.

Suddenly, Sam sighed. “Okay, I know that I might not have been very friendly, but it’s not wise to trust every stranger who shows up on your doorstep with an offer to help in times like this.”

Tony nodded. “I understand your point of view. I wouldn’t have done it in a different way as well.” He held out his hand. “Since we’ve not been introduced to each other, I’m going to do it now. Tony Stark.”

After half a second of hesitation, Sam shook Tony’s hand. “Sam Wilson. But since you already knew that…” He shrugged. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Stark. If you believe it or not, Steve has told me many things about you.”

Tony laughed. “It’s Tony. And I hope he only told you the good things.” He said and now Steve grinned.

“The best.” He said it as a promise and now they all had to laugh. However, the happy atmosphere didn’t last long.

“So what do you want me to do now?” Steve asked thoughtfully and looked at Tony with this searching expression again.

Tony sighed. “As I said before, I can’t tell you what to do. If you really want to look for Bucky, no one’s going to stop you. But you should know about the risks. And JARVIS is on it too, so there would be no direct need for it.” He paused. “What  _I_ would do is to come back to New York with me. On my way, I’ve heard that Bruce thinks about visiting the tower as well. And since Hydra is back, the Avengers would have a new task. I think we’ll be needed again soon.” 

Steve was silent for a long time and Tony tried to figure out what he was thinking. It was difficult. He knew that Steve wanted nothing more to have Bucky back – one of the last people who were left from his past. But to Steve, it was also important to fight against Hydra and make the world safe again…. Tony couldn’t really understand the man in front of him. It has always been difficult to see what was motivating him, but maybe for Steve it was the same way with Tony. Maybe they could get to know each other a little better when Steve decided to come with him…

“You should go to New York.” Sam said suddenly and both Steve and Tony were ripped out of their thoughts. “I’ll try to find Bucky.” At Steve’s surprised expression, Sam laughed. “Oh come on, I know you wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything else when no one would try to go after him. And since I don’t have anything to do either way… The world needs you, Steve. Someone has to fight against Hydra openly and I know that they can't do it without you.” 

Steve shook his head, it wasn’t hard to see the surprise in his face. “I can’t ask you to do that for me, Sam.” He said quietly and Sam nodded.

“That’s why I’m just doing it.” He said simply and Tony grinned. Somehow, he liked him.

“But what if you really find him. You can’t fight –“

“When I really find him, which I doubt, I’m going to contact you as soon as possible.” Sam interrupted Steve and smiled. “That’s what friends are there for, right?”

Steve sighed. “I can’t talk you out of it anymore?”

“No.”

Steve nodded. “But you have to be careful.”

Now Sam rolled his eyes. “I know, I’ve seen this guy fight. It’s not like I would want him to know that I’m there.”

“Thank you.” Steve whispered and Sam grinned again.

“It’s an honor to help Captain America with this.” He said and now Steve was the one rolling his eyes.

They talked about everything for a while. Tony asked many questions about the things they found in the bunker and everything else that had happened. However, he didn’t answer many questions about himself. Steve tried to ask once, but Tony had just shrugged and turned to other subjects again. He knew that Steve would want to talk about it as soon as they left. Somehow, he could see that in his friend’s expression.

It didn’t take long until they were able to leave again. Steve didn’t have many things there – just the shield and a few clothes – and after they said goodbye to Sam Wilson, Tony put on his cap and the sunglasses again. Steve did the same with his own sunglasses and the hood of his pullover. This time, they seemed to scream for everyone to notice them. Not just because they were both wearing sunglasses and everything, but also because of the shield Steve was carrying on his back.

The few people they met were staring at them wide-eyed, but Tony and Steve pretended not to notice it. When they were finally in the car, they both started to laugh loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“How’s Pepper?” Of course the first question Steve was asking once they were in the car was about Pepper. Tony wanted to sigh loudly and thought about ignoring that question. However, he wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. Steve used to notice very much…

“She’s fine. Still in Malibu and using most of her time for the company.” He answered shortly.

“Did you tell her what’s going on?” Tony wasn’t sure, but he thought that Steve sounded suspicious.

He shook his head. “There wasn’t time for that, I had to leave very fast. Hill said it was urgent and we didn’t want more people of SHIELD to leave the sinking ship. The only possibility to keep them was to give them a place to go to. And something to do. We had to act fast. They were already in the tower when I arrived in New York a few hours ago. Hill is organizing everything right now. I’ll need to talk to her about everything once we get back there. And I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you too, Cap. She’s been worried about you.”

Steve was silent for a few moments and finally, Tony dared to look at him. Steve was watching him with a frown on his face. “Is everything alright?” Tony asked lightly and the frown on Steve’s face deepened.

“You didn’t tell Pepper what’s going on?” The disbelieve in his voice was obvious.

“I told her not to trust anyone except Rhodey, Happy, the Avengers and me.” Tony said hesitantly.

“Did you have a fight?”

“Well… not a real fight, it was more like a misunderstanding…” Tony muttered.

“So you did have a fight.” Steve said simply. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“It’s nothing important.” Tony answered immediately. “We’re just taking a break. That’s all.”

“And that should not be important?!” When he glanced at Steve again, he noticed that he was looking at him wide-eyed. And worried. “You love her, don’t you?”

Tony sighed and nodded.

“So why did you need to take a break from each other?”

“Cap, just drop it, okay?” Tony asked slowly and concentrated on the street again. They were getting closer to New York now.

“Tony…” Steve began, but Tony interrupted him.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just say that she didn’t understand why I still want to be Iron Man. And all our conversations about that subject didn’t end well.”

Now Steve seemed to be surprised. “But I thought she was alright with that?”

“That was before what happened a few months ago.” Tony said simply. After that, Steve was silent for a long time. Tony glanced at him from time to time, but the soldier just looked out of the window with a thoughtful expression on his face. They had nearly reached New York when Tony’s phone rang.

“Who’s there?” He asked as soon as JARVIS accepted the call.

“ _It’s me, Rhodey. Pepper just called me. She said you left_.”

Tony grimaced. He has planned to call Rhodey this evening and tell him everything himself. “Yeah, that was kind of unexpected. There was an emergency call and I had to go to New York immediately.”

“ _Tony, why did you do that to her? She’s heartbroken. She thinks you want to break up with her_.” 

“Wait, she thinks _what_?” Tony asked loudly. He never said anything like that, did he? “Of course I don’t want to break up with her, Rhodey! I just said that it might be a good idea to take a break. Because we both need time to think about everything. And I didn’t just leave because of her. There really is an emergency.” 

Rhodey was silent for a few seconds. “ _I think I should visit Pepper this evening. And talk to her about everything_ .” He said slowly and Tony felt like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. 

“Tell her that I don’t plan to leave her.” He said and Rhodey muttered something that sounded like ‘Alright.’.

“ _You really left because something is going on_?” Rhodey asked again and Tony knew that he didn’t really believe him. 

“Yes, I did. I got a call from Maria Hill this morning. She’s working for me now.” He said simply and hoped that Rhodey would understand what it meant.

“ _Maria Hill? But doesn’t she work for_ –“

“She needed something new.” Tony cut in quickly. He didn’t want to talk about those things on the phone. “Most of them needed something new, to be exact. Sometimes you just have to leave the sinking ship, you understand?”

“ _You mean… Tony, if you really mean it like that, it’s bad. Really bad_.” Rhodey said slowly and Tony nodded, even if Rhodey couldn’t see it. 

“Yes, it is. And it seems like we’re needed again. The Avengers.”

“ _You’re meeting in New York_?” 

“Isn’t decided yet. At the moment, it’s just me and a good friend I just picked up.” At that, Steve next to him grinned.

“ _What do you mean? Who –_ “ Rhodey didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. 

“It’s good to hear from you, Colonel Rhodes.” Steve said calmly and Tony smirked at the tone of his voice. This was what he always called ‘Cap mode’. “There have been a few problems these past months. But I think we should figure it out soon.”

For a few seconds, Rhodey seemed to be too surprised to answer. “ _So this is what you’ve been doing while I tried to call you all day_ .” He muttered. “ _It’s good to hear from you too, Captain_ .” Rhodey replied. 

“Rhodey, do you think you need to visit New York any time soon?” Tony asked. “Maybe we can talk about everything then.”

“ _I need to go to Washington in a few days. Maybe I could visit you on my way back_.” Rhodey said without hesitation. 

“That would be great!” Tony couldn’t stop himself from smiling. He was always happy to have his best friend around.

“ _Maybe I should go and talk to Pepper_.” Rhodey said after a few moments of silence. “ _I don’t like the thought of her being alone right now_.” 

Tony sighed. “Rhodey…”

“ _Look, Tony. I don’t blame you for leaving. Now that I have an idea of what’s going on, I would have done the same. I just want you to know that it’s not the best time for you to be gone_.” 

“Don’t you think I know that?” Tony replied in a sharp tone. “Don’t you think I wanted any of the things that happened? She doesn’t trust me anymore, Rhodey! Sometimes I even think she’s scared. And it hurts, to be honest.” His words were followed by silence and Tony swallowed when he realized what he just said. Next to him, Steve shook his head wide-eyed. “Tony…” he began, but Tony just shook his head.

“ _I’ll talk to her_.” Rhodey said suddenly. “ _And once I come to New York, we really need to talk. And you must talk to Pepper as well, I think_.” 

“I said I needed a break…”

“ _And you can have that. But afterwards, you need to talk to her_.” Rhodey cut in. 

Tony nodded slowly. “I will.” He whispered.

“ _That’s good. I really hope you can figure it out. Let me know if anything new happens, Tony. We’ll talk again soon. And keep an eye on him, Captain_.”

“I will.” Steve said and then Rhodey ended the call.

The rest of the drive was spent in silence. Tony noticed that Steve looked at him from time to time, but he didn’t say a word. And Tony was glad about it. He really didn’t want to talk about Pepper right now. Somehow, it hurt too much. And after that phone call, Steve knew that he was really upset about it… Tony really hoped that the events with SHIELD could distract him somehow. Even if it meant that the world was in danger again.

They didn’t take the main elevator to go into Tony’s private quarters. He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to let everyone know that Steve arrived just yet. So they took the second elevator, one that Tony installed for safety reasons. Mostly for times when he wanted to leave or enter the tower without being seen. Steve didn’t ask questions when they walked to the small door at the end of the garage. The elevator was a direct connection between the top floors of the tower and the garage with was the lowest floor. When it opened, Tony laughed at the confused look on Steve’s face. They had arrived between piles of clothes and other stuff like boxes.

“What is this?” Steve asked in a surprised tone which made Tony grin.

“This is my private emergency exit.” Tony explained and walked around some of the boxes towards a door. “I installed the elevator for security reasons. Or privacy reasons as well. Sometimes, I like to leave without being seen.” He opened the door and they entered another room which was much bigger. It was the corridor that connected Tony’s kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

“That sounds… practical.” Steve said slowly and Tony chuckled at the confused look on his face.

“I didn’t use it very often.” He explained. “But sometimes it calms me down to know that there’s another way out of here.” He walked towards the main room of his quarters. The living room which had been re-decorated while he was gone. Tony had to admit that it looked incredible. The big red couch has been exchanged. Now there were three standing around a small table in the middle of the room – enough space for all the Avengers. And there were many plants standing everywhere, he thought that this had been the idea of Pepper. That made Tony smile sadly.

“You changed very much in here.” Steve said and Tony noticed that he was also looking around.

“Yeah, thought that a change might be good. I think Pepper added some of her ideas as well.”

“The plants and the pictures?” Steve guessed and Tony nodded. Now that Steve said it, Tony noticed the big pictures of landscapes on the walls as well. He had to admit that they were beautiful. One even showed his house in Malibu.

“You can use your old quarters again, the ones under my lab.” Tony said to Steve and he smiled. After the war, Steve has been allowed to choose the floor he wanted. He had taken one that was on top of the tower, just beneath Tony’s quarters and his lab.

“Thank you.” Steve said and Tony held up his hand.

“They’re yours, remember?” Steve grimaced before he nodded with a smile. They had argued about that for a long time because Steve thought that he couldn’t accept something like that from Tony. ‘It’s too much. You can’t just give them to me.’ He had said many times. In the end, he’d accepted either way. Maybe because Tony forced him to do so. Or because he threatened to give those quarters to Bruce.

“Do you want to go downstairs first or stay while I talk to Hill?” Tony asked and Steve took the shield from his back. He placed it next to his bag on the ground.

“I think I’ll stay.” He said and Tony nodded.

“JARVIS, would you please tell Agent Hill to come to my quarters? There are a few things we have to discuss.”

“ _Of course, Sir_.” JARVIS answered. 

“And did we hear something from Bruce Banner by now? He wanted to come over for a visit.”

“ _He will be here in a few days, Sir._ ” 

“That’s great!” Tony grinned. He sat down on the couch and gestured for Steve to sit down as well. “And the others? What do we know about them?” At that question, Steve looked interested as well.

“ _Thor is not there at the moment and no one knows what he is doing so far. I could contact Dr Selvig and ask if he knows more._ ” JARVIS suggested and Tony nodded. 

“Do that, we might need him soon.”

“ _Agent Romanoff can be contacted by Agent Hill, she knows where she is now. And Agent Barton is hiding somewhere, no one knows where he is as well. But maybe Agent Romanoff can tell you where he is._ ” 

Next to him, Steve nodded. “They are very close, I bet Natasha knows where we can find him.”

Tony nodded slowly. “Alright, thank you, JARVIS.” He said and grinned at Steve. “Now we just have to wait for Agent Hill.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Do you miss him?” Tony asked slowly.

“What?” Steve looked at him with a confused expression on his face. They were still waiting for Maria Hill to come.

“Bucky.” Tony explained and wondered if this was a good idea. On the other hand, Steve had asked about Pepper as well… “Do you miss him?”

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and Tony swallowed at the hurt look on his friends’ face. “Of course I do.” Steve answered after a few moments of silence. “He’s my best friend. Or he was. Or still is, I don’t know.” He sighed again. “Why does this have to be so complicated?”

“That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for years.” Tony tried to joke, but when he saw the expression on Steve’s face, he turned serious again. “Look, Steve. I’ve read the report. And according to that, Bucky has changed. Very much.” Steve looked like he wanted to protest, but Tony held up his hand. “I know that he recognized you somehow. So the Bucky you know and miss is still in there, somewhere. Even if no one knows when the Winter Soldier will come out again.” He paused. Steve was looking at him with narrowed eyes, his shoulders were tensed. “No one can say if he will recognize you again on your next meeting.”

Steve looked frustrated. “I know. I’ve been thinking of that for weeks now. I need to find him. To save him. But what will I do if he’ll attack me again?”

Somehow, Tony wasn’t sure if someone like Bucky could be saved. They had messed up his mind, changed his thoughts and changed him into something you can control. Could this be fixed? And how long would that need?

“I don’t know if I could stand that, Tony.” Steve admitted, not aware of Tony’s dark thoughts. “When he doesn’t recognize me and uses all his strength to kill me… I couldn’t fight him, I think.” Steve’s voice was shaking, and Tony realized how tired his friend was.

“That’s why you won’t face him alone.” Tony had just made his decision. He wouldn’t let Steve go to him alone. Not if his friend was ready to die if it was necessary. He couldn’t lose one of his best friends.

With a surprised look on his face, Steve shook his head. “I can’t ask that from you.” He said simply and now it was Tony’s time to shake his head. Somehow, he couldn’t sit any longer. He stood up and began to walk around the room.

“I’m not asking you for permission, Cap.” He said and smiled slightly. “I just realized that you will need someone by your side when you face him again. Someone who will look after you and makes sure that you won’t do anything stupid.”

“Says the person who’s famous for his stupid actions…” Steve muttered with a smile and Tony decided to ignore those words.

“When we find him, I’ll go with you to face him. And don’t worry, I’ll not attack him if it’s not necessary. I’ll just be there in case something bad happens.”

Now Steve stood up as well. He was still smiling, which made a grin appear on Tony’s face. “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?” Steve asked, even if it was clear that it was pointless. Everyone knew that Tony didn’t change his mind once a decision was made.

“Nope.” Tony said simply and grinned. “You’re not alone in this, Cap. And I bet once we find him, Sam will be at your side as well.”

Steve nodded. “Even if I still feel guilty for including him in all this.”

Tony laughed. “I bet he wouldn’t want that. He seemed to be very pleased with this. And I can’t blame him, flying’s awesome.”

Now Steve chuckled as well. “That may be true, but I don’t want him to risk his life.”

“I don’t think that you have a choice in this.” Tony muttered and looked out of the window. The view was awesome, as always.

“I know…” Steve said quietly and went to stand next to him. “And Tony?”

“Yes, Steve?”

“Thank you.”

* * *

When Agent Maria Hill entered Tony’s quarters later, Tony and Steve were still standing at the window and looking at New York. It was dark and Tony was surprised at how fast this day had passed. Has he really been at Malibu this morning? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

“You wanted to talk to me, Sir?” Maria Hill asked, and Tony grinned at the surprised expression on her face when she saw Steve standing next to him. However, Hill was a professional which meant that she hid her surprise very well otherwise.

“It’s good to see you again, Captain.” She said with a smile and shook his hand. Then she turned to Tony. “Thank you for finding him, Mr. Stark.”

At her words, Tony laughed loudly. He went back to the couch and offered Maria Hill a drink. When they all sat down, he was still looking at her with an amused expression on his face. “I think we don’t have to be this formal when we’re alone.” He said and chuckled again. “It’s Tony when no one’s around. And I bet he doesn’t want you to call him Captain every time you talk to him.” He pointed at Steve, who was laughing now as well.

“He’s got a point there.” Steve agreed and now even Maria Hill smiled.

“How did you find him?” She changed the topic.

Tony was still grinning. “That wasn’t difficult. JARVIS found him in no time. And no, I won’t tell you how he did it.”

Hill sighed. “And what’s the plan for now?”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “That’s a good question. What are your plans for now, Agent Hill?”

His question didn’t seem to surprise her. She leaned back in her seat. “Officially, we’re part of Stark Industries now. I’m your personal assistant and the other members of SHIELD will take over certain tasks in your company.”

Tony nodded. “We’ll find something for them.” He agreed.

“First, we have to find out whom we still can trust. I already started to question those who came with me today. I don’t want to take any risks. Everyone who doesn’t seem to be loyal will be dismissed immediately. We can’t risk being infiltrated by Hydra again. However, I think that they’re all trustworthy.”

“You should check on that either way.” Tony suggested and she nodded.

“And then we’ll keep doing what we always did. Watch the events in the world and keep everyone safe.”

“Which won’t be too easy when most of the members are gone, will it?” Steve asked. Now he was in Cap mode again.

“We’re still enough people to manage that.” Hill answered calmly.

“And your top goal is to find the places where Hydra is hiding?”

She nodded again. “And what they’re up to.” She added.

“JARVIS can help you with that as well.” Tony said. “He’s already looking for signs of them. I don’t think that it will take us long to find them.”

“And then the Avengers will play their part in all this.” Steve looked at his shield which was still leaning on his bag.

“They will come?” Agent Hill asked. “All of them?”

Tony sighed. “That’s the problem. Dr Banner’s already on his way. And we’ve contacted Dr Selvig, maybe he can tell us how to find Thor. And I bet Agent Romanoff can help us to find Agent Barton. And contacting them is your task since you already offered to do that.”

Agent Hill frowned. “Then it’s just the two of you for now.”

They nodded. “So it seems.” Steve said slowly.

She didn’t look very happy. “We’ll have to find the others soon. I’ll call Natasha tomorrow.”

Tony nodded. “Good idea. And I think that JARVIS will be able to find Thor soon.”

“Is there something else we need to talk about?” Maria Hill asked politely. “It’s been a long day and I would like to get some rest.”

Tony thought about it and shook his head. “We’ve discussed the most important things for now. I’ll contact you tomorrow if I should need you. Otherwise you can take care of your other tasks. And don’t forget to call Natasha.”

She nodded with a smile. “Of course I will do that, Sir.” At that, Tony grimaced. Which made Steve laugh loudly. Maria Hill stood up and went towards the elevator. “Good night, Mr. Stark. Steve.” With that, she left the apartment.

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. Steve was still looking amused. “I don’t think that I will get used to her being my assistant.” Tony muttered and now they both started to laugh.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

That night, Tony couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, horrible images started to appear in his mind. The conversations with Pepper. The events concerning SHIELD. Steve fighting the Winter Soldier. But he also saw other things, those that didn’t happen yet. And he secretly hoped that they would never come true. He saw Pepper being attacked by members of Hydra. They hurt her to make him suffer. To make him stop being Iron Man. They said that they would stop and let her go if he did what they said. Tony didn’t believe them.

After what seemed like hours, Tony couldn’t stand it anymore. He went to his lab and began to work. First, he didn’t have a real plan of what he was doing. His hands were working automatically, like his body already knew what his head hadn’t imagined yet. After some time, it became clear what he was designing. Even if he was still very worried, Tony had to grin. Cap would like his new idea. Maybe it would prevent him from losing his shield again. 

The sun was already rising when Tony heard the elevator opening. He sighed, not wanting to be bothered by anyone right now. He still needed to forget everything and get lost in his work.

“You are working very early, Mr. Stark.” The voice of Maria Hill said behind him.

Tony didn’t turn around. He would have liked to sigh loudly. What was this woman doing in his lab at 6 o’clock in the morning? She really seemed to think that she was his assistant now. Hadn’t she noticed that they just pretended that?

Maria Hill was walking towards him slowly and Tony decided to ignore her. He really didn’t want to talk right now. And if he would want to talk to someone, he would definitely go to someone else. Someone who could understand him a little better.

“You look terrible, did you even sleep last night?” Her voice was closer now, but he still ignored her and focused on his work. He was nearly done with the main structure. He would have to ask Steve if he could borrow the shield soon.

“Well, however, I’ve made a plan for the next week. Then it looks like our people are working for you if someone asks.” Apparently, Hill had decided to ignore his bad mood as well. “You have to sign those papers to make it look official. Then they’re employed by Stark Industries. It would make everything much easier.”

Tony nodded without looking up. He would have a close look at the papers later, but not right now.

“Tony are you even listening?” Now she sounded annoyed and he knew exactly how she felt.

“Yes, of course I’m listening. I’ll have a look at those papers later, but not right now. As you see I’m busy. You can go downstairs again, I won’t need you for now. If I want to see you, JARVIS will let you know about it. You can go and take care of your business now, Agent Hill. Thank you.” Tony said without looking at her. After a few moments, he heard a defeated sigh and then Maria Hill left his lab again.

When she was gone, Tony sighed in relief.

* * *

Two hours later, he was feeling much better. He had returned to his quarters to have a shower and have breakfast. After that, he asked JARVIS if he knew where Steve was. It didn’t surprise him that he was training in his quarters. Tony was still proud of the idea of including a training room in the quarters of Cap. Steve has been very happy when he found out about it. He couldn’t stop thanking Tony for that, which made him happy as well. 

He decided that it was best not to interrupt Steve while he was training. Instead, Tony searched for his phone (which was still lying next to his bed) and looked at the messages. There weren’t many new messages. One was from Rhodey and he asked if Tony was alright. Another one was from Happy, who wrote that he had taken Pepper to work safely this morning. Tony had to smile at that. The last message was from Bruce Banner. When he read it, a grin appeared on Tony’s lips. It said that Bruce would arrive in New York this afternoon and he said that he couldn’t wait to see Tony again. It had been a long time since they last saw each other.

He already wanted to put the phone in his pocket and go back to the lab, when he noticed that there was a missed phone call. “JARVIS, who wanted to call me?” Tony asked instead of listening to the message. He thought that he already knew who it was.

“ _You have one missed call from Mrs. Potts, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony hesitated. Did he really want to listen to that?

“What did she say?” He asked JARVIS instead.

“ _She was very upset, Sir. You should listen to the message, she wants to know if you are alright. Yesterday has been very eventful, for both of you._ ” 

Tony sighed in defeat. “Okay, let’s hear what she wanted to say.” He said it slowly and his heart started to beat faster. He knew that he was very nervous right now. What did she wanted to say? Was she still angry? Or upset? Of course she was, Tony was unhappy as well. What if she wanted to break up with him? At that thought, Tony began to feel sick. But didn’t he nearly break up with her by asking for a break? She would have every right to break up with him, wouldn’t she? He closed his eyes, trying to stay calm. He didn’t have to panic right now, he should really listen to the message first. Maybe it was something different.

“ _I’ll start the message now, Sir_.” JARVIS said, and Tony closed his eyes. Did he really want to know what she said? His heart was beating heavily in his chest and Tony had to fight the urge to stand up and walk around in this room. It would make him feel better, though. Moving always made things better for him, especially when he was nervous. 

“ _Hey… Tony. I’m sorry that I’m already calling, I know you asked for a break. And I respect that, I really do._ ” The message started and Pepper’s voice sounded shaky, as if she’s been crying. And there was this nervousness in her voice, as if she didn’t know if calling had been a good idea. “ _It’s just that so many things happened today and I’m really worried. You left without telling me what’s going on. And the others won’t tell me anything as well, Happy just acts like my life is in danger and Rhodey said that I shouldn’t worry because everything is going to be alright. But when he says that everything is going to be alright… It means that something bad is going on._ ” There was a pause and it sounded like she was crying again. Now Tony couldn’t stand it anymore, he stood up and began to walk through the room. He felt his heart break all over again. She was crying and he was the reason why. He had promised himself many times not to make her cry again. He had failed her again. “ _Well, I… I just wanted to make sure that you are alright. And that you stay safe. Tony… I don’t want you to get hurt, so please look out for yourself. You don’t have to answer this, I don’t even expect you to listen to this… But if you do, I’d like you to know that I miss you. Very much. And I made a mistake, I know that now. Please, stay safe, Tony. I love you._ ” 

The message ended and Tony sat down on his bed again. He hid his face in his hands and tried to breathe in slowly. He had to stay calm now. He had expected many things from Pepper, but not that she was worried. And that she told him to stay safe. She said she loved him…

Should he answer that message? But what would he say? Was there anything he could say to her now? He wasn’t sure about this. Of course he missed her very much. But one phone call wouldn’t solve all their problems at once, he knew that as well. Maybe he could ask Rhodey to tell her that he was alright… Tony shook his head slowly. His friend would think that he was a fool if he had to tell her his message like they were children. And he didn’t even know what he wanted to tell her. Tony stood up again and began to walk towards the elevator. Maybe Steve had finished his training session by now. Then they could talk about anything except relationships. That was the idea! Tony began to walk faster. He would try to forget all this now.

His heart was still beating too fast and he felt like he was sick. He missed Pepper and he wanted to hold her in his arms again. And tell her that he loved her too…

“ _Sir, Colonel Rhodes wants to talk to you. He is calling the second time this morning._ ” JARVIS told him and Tony stopped. 

“Did he say why he wanted to talk to me?” He asked.

“ _No, Sir. But it sounds like it is urgent._ ” JARVIS explained and Tony nodded slowly. Didn’t Rhodey wanted to visit Pepper last evening? Maybe he had talked to her… Apparently, her message had been sent before she had talked to his best friend. 

“Let’s hear what he wants to say.”

“ _I will accept the phone call now._ ” JARVIS announced. 

“Hey Rhodey, what’s going on?” Tony asked, trying to sound happy.

“ _Finally, there you are. I’ve sent you a message this morning and I already tried to call you a few hours ago._ ” Rhodey said in his usual calm tone. “ _How are you? Normally, you read your messages once in a while and don’t just ignore them._ ” 

Tony wanted to sigh. “Seems like I didn’t look at my phone the whole night. I just remembered that it was here somewhere about ten minutes ago.”

“ _Pepper said that she sent you a message._ ” Rhodey said slowly. 

“Yeah, she did…” He hesitated. What should he say? That he was feeling even worse now?

“ _Did you listen to it?_ ”

“I did. And don’t ask me about it, I really don’t want to talk about all this now.” Tony said immediately.

“ _But Tony… You can’t run from this forever._ ” 

“Forever! It’s been yesterday that we decided to take a break! Don’t say that I’ve been ignoring her for ages now. And I know that we’ll have to sort things out sometime. But not now, I’m really not up for this.”

“ _I talked to her yesterday._ ” Rhodey said, ignoring his comment. “ _She’s been very upset. She was crying the entire evening, there was nothing I could say to cheer her up. She’s worried that something might happen to you now that this whole Avengers business starts again. The last time you nearly died. She’s terrified._ ” 

Tony inhaled sharply at those last words. “I’ll try to look after myself, I promise. But I can’t run away from this. We’re needed, Rhodey. And if we don’t try to stop Hydra, no one will. And when they succeed in their quest, the whole world will be in danger.”

“ _Look, Tony. I didn’t say anything against that. I know that it’s important that you do this. Damn, I would like to be there myself and fight with you. But since I’ve other things to do for the government it seems like that’s impossible. I just wanted to let you know that Pepper’s really upset right now._ ” 

“I know that, Rhodey. And so am I.” He hesitated, not sure if he should ask the next question. “Will you talk to her again soon?”

“ _I’ll visit her again before I leave for New York in two days. Is there anything you want me to tell her?_ ” 

At this question, a big weight seemed to be lifted from Tony’s shoulders. He wasn’t sure if he would have been able to ask Rhodey that question. “If you could do that, I owe you something.” He said slowly.

“ _I’ll think about something. So what should I tell her?_ ” 

“Tell her that she doesn’t have to worry. And that I’ll be careful. And tell her…” He hesitated for a few moments. “Tell her that I’ll come back to her.” He inhaled deeply and nodded, even if Rhodey couldn’t see this. Yes, he would go back to Pepper when everything was over. And then they would talk about all this and everything would be alright again.

“ _I’ll tell her that. And I would like to ask how things are in New York, but maybe it’s better if you tell me that when I’ll visit you in a few days. Don’t try to destroy the city until then. And Tony… you shouldn’t worry too much yourself. You’ll figure this out, I’m sure of that._ ” 

“Thank you, Rhodey. And see you soon.” Tony said just before the call ended.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“And what can it do?” Steve asked slowly, looking at the device Tony had constructed the past night.

Tony rolled his eyes. “It can summon your shield, so you don’t have to move to get it. It comes back to you when you throw it.” He explained for the third time.

Finally, Steve’s eyes light up and he grinned. Apparently, he understood what it could do now. “That’s brilliant!”

Tony smiled slightly. “I know. After all, it’s been my idea.”

Steve hit him on the arm playfully. “You’re such an ass!”

Tony laughed. “I know that too!”

They both started to laugh. When Steve handed Tony the shield, he became serious again. He looked at it for a long time. After all this time, he still admired the design of his father. The shield was lighter than it seemed, and it couldn’t be destroyed. He touched the star absent-minded and frowned. Then he took the gauntlets and began to work. Steve was watching him silently and Tony looked at him from time to time. He enjoyed the fascinated look on Steve’s face. With him, it was so easy. He wasn’t annoyed by Tony’s obsession with his work. He understood that he liked it and then it was alright. Steve also wasn’t getting impatient when he worked on something (unlike Rhodey) and he didn’t ask questions when it wasn’t necessary.

About two hours later (Tony didn’t understand how Steve could watch him all this time without getting bored), he handed him the gauntlets. “Can you try them on? I have to see if they fit you, otherwise I’ll have to change the design some more.” He explained and Steve nodded.

Tony helped him at finding the right position of the gauntlets and when they were in place, he nodded.

“They are so light.” Steve muttered and looked at his arms thoughtfully. Then he smiled slightly at Tony. “The color will fit my uniform.” He said and Tony nodded.

“That was the plan.” He said simply and took the shield in his hands again. Then he started to explain how the gauntlets would work once he finished them.

* * *

“ _Sir, Doctor Banner has arrived._ ” JARVIS informed them and Tony looked up from his work. They were still in the lab and Tony was working at the gauntlets. Steve was reading a book now – something about history; he said that he wanted to catch up everything he missed. 

Tony put his tools down and grinned. “Shall we greet him, Cap?” He asked playfully and Steve looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course, Mr. Stark.” He replied calmly. When he saw the confused expression on Tony’s face, he grinned. “When you call me Cap, I’ll call you Mr. Stark. That’s fair.”

Tony groaned and rolled his eyes. “Okay, then let’s go,  _Steve_ .” He emphasized the others name and now Steve was the one to roll his eyes. 

They met Bruce in the entrance hall. Tony held out his arms and smiled widely. “It’s good to see you, Dr. Banner. We’ve missed you very much.” He said loudly and Bruce grinned.

“It’s good to see you too, Tony.” He said when they shook hands. Bruce turned to Steve and nodded politely. “Steve.”

Steve ignored the uneasy tone in Bruce’s voice and held out his hand. “It’s been a long time, Dr. Banner.” He said politely.

“Call me Bruce. Both of you. I think we’re over all those polite phrases.”

Tony chuckled. “Maybe you’re right. When you think about why we’re here…” When he noticed the confused look on Bruce’s face, he shook his head lightly. “Not here.” He whispered and they walked towards the elevator. While doing that, Tony explained the changes they had made at the Stark Tower in the past months loudly.

Once they were at Tony’s quarters, Bruce raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “What’s going on? And what was that act downstairs all about?”

“Why don’t we all have a seat and I’ll get us something to drink?” Tony suggested and without waiting for their answer, he made his way towards the bar. When he came back, he noticed that Bruce and Steve had taken place on different sides of the table. Tony sat down next to Steve in an armchair.

“What happened?” Bruce asked, looking at the glass in his hands. “You were acting strangely. And I thought that I saw Maria Hill in the entrance hall when I entered the tower. But when I looked around closer, she was gone. What’s a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. doing here?”

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. Then Steve began to explain the events of the previous weeks. When he was done, Tony continued with his story and told Bruce why he was in New York now.

Bruce had listened to them silently all the time, however his expression darkened the longer they talked. “So Hydra has taken over S.H.I.E.L.D. and they are officially working for you now?” He asked slowly. “And Steve’s former best friend, who’s a serial killer, is running through the country? And you think that he might want to hunt down Steve and everyone who’s close to him? Oh and Hydra wants to destroy the world.” Bruce nodded. “Sounds like a normal day.”

“And that’s why the Avengers are needed again.” Steve explained. “We have to stop Hydra and their doings before something really bad happens.”

“And you want me to join the fight again.” Bruce concluded. He looked at Tony. “And I thought that this was going to be a peaceful visit and we’d discuss some of our projects. Without all the fighting.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Well, until yesterday, I thought that too.” He admitted.

Bruce was silent for some time and Tony exchanged a look with Steve. He raised an eyebrow, but Steve shook his head lightly.  _Let him think about it some more_ , the gesture said. And so they waited for Bruce to make up his mind. 

“Fine.” He said finally. “I’ll do this with you. But this is the last time. When the world needs the Avengers again after this, you’ll have to look for someone else to help you.” Bruce sighed. “I’m not sure if this is a good idea.”

Tony and Steve smiled at him. “Welcome back to the team.” Steve said.

“ _Sir, Agent Romanoff will arrive here in about ten minutes. Agent Hill told her to come to New York as fast as possible._ ” JARVIS informed them. 

Tony’s smile grew even wider. “Maybe it won’t take as long as we thought to find the others.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Natasha left the elevator exactly nine minutes after JARVIS’ announcement. However, she wasn’t alone.

“Seems like we have to save the world again.” Clint said cheerfully when they shook hands.

“I assume Natasha already told you what happened since she had ben involved in this mess?” Tony asked and he nodded.

“When Nat told me about this first, I didn’t believe her.” He admitted and she rolled her eyes.

“You know that I would never make fun of this.” She muttered and he held up his hands apologetically.

Natasha looked at Steve in silence for a few moments and hugged him tightly. “It’s good to see you again.” She whispered in his ear and turned to Tony. “How did you find him?”

Tony shrugged. “I’m a genius. It shouldn’t surprise you that I found him. It was necessary.”

To his surprise, she nodded in agreement. “Apparently, the Avengers are needed again.” When they sat down around the table again, Clint raised his eyebrows.

“So what’s the plan?”

“We’re assembling the team, find Hydra and stop them.” Steve explained and his words were followed by silence.

“And how will we do that?” Clint asked when he realized that Steve wouldn’t say anything else. Tony chuckled.

“I think the _how_ is something we haven’t discussed yet.” He said and leaned back in his seat. “The first difficulty is to find every one of the team. And you might have noticed that someone’s still missing.” 

“You mean Thor.”

Next to Tony, Steve nodded. “Without him, it would be unwise to go after Hydra.” He turned to Tony. “Did you hear something from Dr. Selvig? We tried to contact him, maybe he knows where Thor is at the moment.” Steve explained when he saw the questioning looks of Bruce, Natasha and Clint.

Tony wanted to sigh, however he didn’t let his annoyance show. While thinking of Pepper, he had forgotten to ask JARVIS about it! “JARVIS, do we have any news concerning Thor?” He asked and let his voice sound relaxed.

“ _I was able to contact Dr. Selvig about an hour ago. He said that he wanted to contact Thor, he knows a way how to do it. If everything goes as planned, he should be here in the next days._ ” JARVIS explained and Tony grinned at the others. 

“Seems like we’ll be complete soon.”

“Can we talk about the ‘how’ now that it’s settled?” Bruce asked in his usual uneasy tone. Tony knew that he didn’t like the situation at all. Normally, Bruce tried to avoid stressing situations. Now they were planning to throw themselves into them intentionally. Tony still wasn’t sure why Bruce couldn’t accept the Hulk. It was a part of him and it was very useful. And he would stay with him all his life, so running away wasn’t an option.

“First, we have to find them.” Steve began and everyone’s attention turned to him. “They’ll have more than one base. Most of them will be small, hiding-places or storerooms. Maybe there will be a few laboratories as well, I think they’re doing research on something. And they will have warehouses full of weapons. Then there’s the headquarter. That will be the most difficult to find. And it will be well-guarded, so it won’t be easy to get in and out.” He looked at Tony. “Since you can find everyone as you said, it’ll be your task to locate all bases of Hydra. Once we found them, we can make a plan where to attack first. It would be good if we can find out more about the places we’re going to now, to avoid bad surprises. The others can already think of a strategy, it could be useful to have one. And of course we can use the time for training, maybe think of attacks we can use together.” Steve pointed at Natasha and Clint. “You’re used to fight together, maybe you can coordinate the training.”

“And what will be our job, Cap?” Bruce asked and Steve smiled at him.

“You just stay calm, Banner.” He said and Bruce raised his eyebrows. “The Hulk will be needed sooner than you think. Maybe you can help Tony with the research.”

At the suggestion, Tony nodded. “Good idea, then we’ll be faster.” Now he was curious about what Steve would be doing too. “And you, Steve?”

“Who said that I don’t need any training?” Steve asked with a grin, which made Tony roll his eyes.

* * *

Rhodey arrived earlier than Thor. After his meeting in the city four days later, he came to the tower and Tony went to the garage to meet him. “You look terrible.” Rhodey said once he left his car and a concerned look appeared on his face.

“Do you think you look much better?” Tony replied immediately and Rhodey sighed.

“Tony, I’m serious.” He said, sounding tired and Tony’s humor faded. They made their way towards the elevator in silence and once they arrived in his quarters, Tony offered him a drink which he accepted gladly. They sat down and Rhodey looked out of the window in silence. Tony followed his gaze and took a sip of his drink. The view was incredible, as always. However, he had only enjoyed it when Pepper had been here with him. Suddenly, Tony’s drink didn’t taste that good anymore and he put the glass down on the table. 

When he looked up, he saw that Rhodey was watching him with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Why are you looking so serious?” He asked lightly.

Rhodey shook his head and sighed. “Can we please leave those questions aside? You know that I’m worried about you, Tony.” Rhodey sounded tired and Tony wondered how much his friend had thought about the situation, even if he wasn’t concerned by it.

“You don’t have to be worried, Rhodey. I’m alright.” Tony replied, not wanting to have this conversation now.

“You’re not and we both know that. You’re trying to act normal, like it wouldn’t affect you. The others might believe this, but I don’t. I know you well enough to see when something’s on your mind.”

Tony grimaced. “If I would have known that you want to talk to me about  _that_ , I wouldn’t have invited you.” 

Rhodey chuckled, even if he became serious again afterwards. “Disadvantage of having your best friend here. He cares for you and wants to make sure you are alright. But is that such a bad thing?”

“When you don’t want to talk about all that’s happened…” Tony muttered and looked at his glass on the table. Somehow, Rhodey’s intense look made him feel uneasy.

“You can’t run away from this. I know that it’s only been a few days ago. Nevertheless, ignoring it won’t make anything better.”

Suddenly, Tony stood up. “Ignoring it?” He hissed. “You really think that I’m ignoring it?” He began to walk through the room in a fast pace. “I wish I could do just that! Then I would finally be able to think clearly! It’s on my mind all the time. When I’m searching for the bases of Hydra. When we’re talking about strategies. When we try to find a way to control the Hulk. When I’m acting like Maria Hill’s boss again.” He stopped and looked at Rhodey, who had paled at his outburst. “It’s killing me, Rhodey. I love her, I know that. But it doesn’t work. And it hurts. It hurts so damn much… I would love to go back to her. To wrap my arms around her and never let her go. However, life’s not that easy. We’ve got to figure it out first. And it’s not possible when the world’s in danger because I’m needed here. I am here and she’s on the other side of the country, running a company. And it’s good that she isn’t here since that means she’s safe…” Suddenly, he felt tired. He sat down slowly.

Rhodey was still watching him and Tony knew that many thoughts were running through his head right now. His friend took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Tony.” He began hesitantly. “I didn’t realize that it affects you that much too. I should have known it.” Rhodey looked like he wanted to say more, but Tony interrupted him. 

“How is she?” He asked shortly and Rhodey swallowed.

“Not well. You’ve listened to her message, right?”

Tony nodded in silence, thinking about the phone call again. She had sounded so sad and she had been crying…

“Then I’m sure you know how bad she feels about everything. I’ve visited her a few times before I left for Washington.” Rhodey began and his words took Tony back to reality. “She’s crying very much. She blames herself for everything that happened. Said that she shouldn’t have urged you to stop being Iron Man. She knows that it was a mistake, she told me that. And I think Pepper realized that she can’t take that away from you. It’s a part of you. Happy’s with her all the time, it’s good that there’s someone by her side now. He always tries to cheer her up.” He leaned forward, a serious look on his face. “She’s worried too. Her biggest fear is that something might happen to you.”

Tony nodded and his mouth felt dry. His heart was beating heavily in his chest. In this moment, he didn’t know what to say anymore.

“I’ve told her not to worry too much.” Rhodey explained and leaned back again. “You can take care of yourself and the others are by your side. You’re a good team.”

Tony cleared his throat, he had the feeling that he should say something. “Thank you, Rhodey.” He said and his friend smiled slightly.

“I hope you can figure it out soon. Maybe even before you’ve defeated Hydra. Somehow, I have a feeling that it will take you some time to do that.”

Tony nodded slowly. “I fear that too.” He admitted; something he would never say in front of the other Avengers.

“Pepper said that she’d do anything to go back in time and take everything back she’s said to you.” Rhodey told him after a few moments of silence.

“I would like to do that too.” Tony muttered and looked at the skyline of New York. It had been so long since he’d been here with Pepper…

“Maybe you should really talk to her.”

He looked Rhodey slowly, his eyebrows raised. “And what should I say?”

Rhodey sighed. “She knows that she made a mistake. Maybe you could just let her explain everything.”

“Do you think she would do that?”

“I know that she wants to do it.” Rhodey replied calmly.

Tony reached for his glass again and took a sip of his drink. “Maybe we still need some time…” He muttered and looked into his glass. He was still waiting for Rhodey’s reply when he heard the surprised gasp of his friend. Tony looked up and noticed that Rhodey was looking out of the window. When he followed his gaze, Tony realized what had surprised him that much.

He put the glass down and stood up, walking towards the window. In this moment, Tony couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped his lips. “Tony…” Rhodey muttered, still confused.

Outside, it looked like a storm was coming. The sky which had been full of stars was clouded now and flashes of lightning shot through the air. Suddenly, it looked like the flashes were concentrating on a spot directly above the balcony of the tower. The light was getting blinding and they had to town away. Then there was the sound of thunder and Tony knew it was safe to turn around again.

A man was standing on the balcony now and looked around, as if he wasn’t quite sure where he was now.

When Tony looked at Rhodey, he noticed that he was staring out of the window with wide eyes. “Is that…?” He didn’t finish his question and Tony nodded with a grin.

“Seems like the team is complete.” He said and began to walk towards the balcony where Thor was waiting.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Rhodey left the following morning. He had to return to Malibu, apparently there was a meeting and some politicians needed a bodyguard. Seemed to be very important people when you could get War Machine as a Bodyguard., Tony thought to himself. However, he never mentioned this to Rhodey. Instead, he urged his friend to look after Pepper once he was back there. It would make Tony feel much better if his best friend was there too and not just Happy. Of course he trusted Happy and knew that he could look for her too, but two people were better than one.

Once Rhodey was gone, Tony joined the Avengers at their training. Thanks to Bruce and Natasha, who had talked about the Other Guy very much in the past days, there seemed to be a way to control the Hulk. Tony had been very surprised when he noticed that Natasha and Bruce spent so much time together. When he had asked Clint about it, he had just shaken his head with a smile. ‘They’ll be fine.’ Was all he’d said.

Steve hadn’t been there with the others, which surprised Tony. Normally, he was watching over the training to improve their cooperation as a team. The others seemed to be fine (Thor was just trying to fight the Hulk), so Tony went to search for Steve.

He found him on the balcony closest to the training room. He was leaning on the railing, his phone in his hand. When Tony noticed that he was talking to someone, he already wanted to turn around and leave again, but Steve gestured him to stay.

Tony hesitated for a few seconds before he stepped onto the balcony. Nevertheless, he kept his distance to Steve; he didn’t want to look like he was listening.

“Yes, it’s alright.” Steve said now and listened for a few moments after that.

“No, I didn’t talk to him about it yet. We’re pretty busy here, teamwork and stuff like that.” He listened again.

“Yes, it works good. I think we’re getting stronger as a team. Getting to know each other makes everything easier and there’s been enough time to talk… You would like it here, Sam.”

So that’s who he’d been talking to. Tony had already suspected it.

“But don’t do anything stupid.” The expression on Steve’s face turned serious. “I’ll ask him, after that I’ll let you know about it. It won’t take too long, I’m sure you can wait until then. Alright, be careful, Sam.”

With a sigh, Steve put he phone in his pocket. He looked troubled and slowly, Tony went to stand next to him.

“Something bad going on?” He asked in a light tone and Steve shook his head.

“No, it’s not that. Sam wants to start his search for Bucky soon and asked if we already have a trace. Honestly, I didn’t think about it until now. I’ve been too busy.” The guilty look on Steve’s face showed tone how unhappy he was about it.

“And that’s no surprise. After all, there’s been much going on in the past days.” He smiled encouragingly. “Don’t blame yourself, Steve. You’ve been doing a great job with the team.”

“And I forgot about Bucky because of it.” Steve muttered darkly.

Tony crossed his arms. “I’m sure Sam’s been looking for information about Bucky these past days. JARVIS is searching for signs as well. It wouldn’t have changed anything if you’d have tried to look for something too. Not everyone can look for Bucky, Steve. I’m sorry that this sounds bad, but you’ve got other things to do at the moment. The Avengers need you. Without you, we’re lost.”

At that, Steve chuckled and started to relax slowly. “You wouldn’t be lost, I bet you would have taken over control within one hour.” He became serious again. “I’m sorry, Tony. I know that you’re right, but every time someone mentions Bucky… I feel guilty. I let him down. More than once and it makes me feel bad –“

“And it was never your fault.” Tony interrupted him softly. “Don’t forget that. You could have never changed anything. I don’t believe in fate, but maybe it just had to come like this? Well, then fate would have a very bad, dark humor, but do you know what I mean? Some things aren’t meant to be changed.”

To his surprise, Steve laughed. “I know what you mean, at least I think so.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “That’s good. I would have never repeated something like that, someone else could have heard it.” He frowned at Steve. “We could go to the lab and ask JARVIS about his research.” He suggested and without waiting for an answer, he gestured Steve to follow him. The smile on Steve’s face and the way his eyes were shining were answer enough.

* * *

“JARVIS, do we have information on the Winter Soldier?” Tony asked once they were in his lab.

“ _I have found two files about him by now, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed them. 

Tony frowned. “Only two?” JARVIS had been looking for days, normally he was faster at finding information. Next to Tony, Steve looked disappointed.

“ _I have concentrated on Hydra, Sir. I am sorry that I neglected the Winter Soldier, but you have made it clear that Hydra was of highest importance._ ” 

Tony nodded slowly, he remembered saying that Hydra was important. He just hadn’t realized that it would mean slowing down the search for Bucky.

Steve put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Hydra must be stopped. You’re doing a good job, JARVIS.” Tony smiled and looked away so that Steve couldn’t see it. Only Captain America would say something like this. Normally, people except for Tony took JARVIS’ work for granted.

“Something interesting in those two files?” Tony walked through the lab to his working table and sat down on his chair. He was already looking on the screen in front of him when Steve placed a chair next to Tony and sat down.

On the screen was a picture. It was very old, and it showed a young man with dark hair. He was handsome and the look on his face made it perfectly clear that he knew it. He was wearing a military uniform.

“Bucky.” Steve whispered and reached out to touch the screen. In the last moment, he stopped and his hand sank down onto the desk. “Before the war started.” He explained with a side glance to Tony. However, Steve’s attention turned to the screen again afterwards.

“He’s been very young.” Tony muttered, not knowing what else he could say.

“We both were.” Steve muttered, lost in thoughts. Tony could only half imagine what it had to be like to have two lives. One now and the other one nearly one hundred years ago. Everyone Steve knew was dead by know – except for two people. While Peggy Carter was an old woman by now, Bucky hadn’t changed very much. Except for being a killer whose mind was controlled by Hydra.

“JARVIS, are there important things in those files? Something we might want to know?” Tony didn’t want to look through everything by himself. It would take them hours.

“ _The first file is about the life of James Buchanan Barnes, also called Bucky. It contains records about his life before he went to war and the mission in which he lost his life officially._ ” JARVIS summarized and when Tony raised his eyebrows at Steve, he shook his head. Tony had already suspected that Steve didn’t want to hear those things, after all, he’d been there. 

“The second one?”

“ _A file about the project called ‘Winter Soldier’._ ” 

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. “Tell us about it.” Tony said loudly.

* * *

Two hours later, Steve and Tony were sitting in the kitchen, waiting for the others. After JARVIS had ended his report about Bucky, neither of them talked. They had both been lost in their own thoughts. Tony knew that it had been hard for Steve to listen to those things, even if JARVIS had not mentioned how exactly he had been tortured. Before they had left the lab, Tony had ordered JARVIS to look for more information about the Winter Soldier. And of course JARVIS was still searching for him.

And apparently, he found something. A man who looked like Bucky had been seen in a museum. And not just any museum. It had been the Captain America exhibition in the Smithsonian-Museum. Steve had called Sam immediately to let him know about this.

“Why are you looking so sad?” Natasha’s voice ripped Tony out of his thoughts. Of course he’d been thinking of Pepper again. This whole story with Steve and Bucky showed him again how cruel life was and how easy it was to lose someone you loved.

“Why should we look sad?” Steve asked and raised his eyebrows at Natasha. They had agreed not to tell the other Avengers about Bucky yet. Even Natasha, who had been involved in the whole story. They had to focus on Hydra now.

“Oh come on, it was not hard to miss. I mean, it doesn’t surprise me anymore that Tony looks completely heartbroken, but you, Steve? What happened?” At her words, Tony narrowed his eyes. He looked heartbroken? He thought he was doing a good job at hiding his feelings from the team.

Steve sighed. “Alright, you caught me. I’ve been thinking of everything that happened in the past weeks.” He made it sound like a confession and Natasha smiled knowingly.

“I know it’s still hard for you, Steve. But you can’t dwell on those things now. There are more important issues to focus on. We have to stop Hydra; otherwise even more people will get hurt.”

“I know, Natasha.” Steve said slowly and looked at the door. Luckily, nobody had followed Natasha yet. “I just –“

“I know you want to search for him.” Natasha interrupted him quietly and glanced at Tony.

“It’s alright, he knows.” Steve explained and she raised her eyebrows at Tony.

“Why are you looking surprised?”

“I didn’t think Steve would tell you about Bucky. Normally, things like that would likely cause an argument between the two of you.”

“We’re past that.” Steve said simply. Nevertheless, Natasha didn’t seem to be convinced.

“Are you expecting me to believe that? The last time you were together for a mission, you nearly ripped off each other’s heads.”

“Sometimes, there are events which bring people together and let them forget all their issues.” Tony threw in. “And I believe I can say that just happened in the past weeks.”

Next to him, Steve nodded. “He’s right.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow. “So you’re friends now? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve noticed how close you’ve been these past days. And I bet the others noticed it too. But I just thought it was…” She hesitated, looking for the right words.

“The calm before the storm?” Steve suggested and she nodded.

“Just that.”

Tony chuckled. “I’m sorry, but we have to prove you wrong.”

Natasha just smiled at them. “I’ll remind you about that in a few weeks.”

Steve and Tony exchanged a look and Tony saw the same determination in Steve’s eyes he was feeling. They  _would_ prove her wrong.

* * *

Later that evening, Tony was standing on the balcony and looked at New York. He heard the footsteps coming closer, but didn’t bother to turn around.

“It’s very unlikely for you to be out here alone when everyone else is inside and telling stories.”

“I just needed some time to think.” Tony replied and didn’t look up when Natasha stopped next to him.

“And will you tell me what’s wrong?”

Tony sighed. “Why should there be anything wrong? Everything’s fine.” Finally, he looked up just to see the skeptical look on Natasha’s face.

“Tony, maybe you can fool the others, but I will not believe you when you say that nothing’s wrong.” Her expression softened. “You can tell me what’s bothering you. You’re absent-minded, you don’t eat and it looks like you didn’t sleep in weeks. Can’t you just accept that I’m worried?”

“Why would anyone worry about me?”

The frown which had been on Natasha’s face deepened. “You’re my friend. Even if I ask myself why sometimes.” She tried to say the last sentence ironically, but she failed and just sighed.

Tony didn’t know why he told her about his fight with Pepper. Maybe it had been the bad joke she tried to make. Or the worried look on her face. And maybe, just maybe it was the concern in her eyes when he asked her why anyone would worry about him. In the time Tony knew Natasha, he had never seen her this concerned. Normally, nothing could make her mask break.

When he finished, she took a step closer and hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry, for both of you. But I’m sure everything will be alright. You just have to talk about it.”

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Steve and Rhodey keep telling me the same, but it’s not that easy.”

Suddenly, Natasha’s eyes widened in realization. “That’s why you’re so close lately. Steve knows about Pepper. And you told him before me…”

“Well, when you’re in a car together and Rhodey calls to tell you how upset Pepper is, you can’t avoid any questions.” Tony muttered.

“And he told you about Bucky.” Natasha added.

“I already knew very much about him, after all, I’ve seen the file of your little adventure.” He shrugged.

“But there’s more to it, right?” Natasha crossed her arms. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“And I won’t tell you about it. That’s up to Steve.” Tony said apologetically and held up his hands. “And if you would excuse me now? I think I’ll try to get some sleep.”

Before he could walk away, Natasha grabbed his hands and squeezed them. “When you need someone to talk, I’m here for you.”

“I’ll remember that.” With a smile, Tony left.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'm not reading all the chapters again just now. I've edited them sometime last year, but now it would take too much time. So sorry for possible mistakes! 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

Pepper Potts sighed loudly and stared at the screen in front of her. She was reading some files for the company about their end results of the previous months. She knew that she had to finish them before the meeting tomorrow, however she couldn’t concentrate.

She should be happy. Their new energy source was able to produce energy for the entire city – and even more. It was a big success and they should celebrate it. Once they would replicate it and use the technology in other cities as well, Stark Industries would earn even more money than now.

But Pepper wasn’t in the mood for a celebration. She wasn’t even in the mood to read those stupid files. With another sigh, she stood up and walked to the window. It had been like this for a few weeks by now. Ever since Tony had left for New York to be with the Avengers again.

The pain in her chest returned and Pepper crossed her arms instinctively – a habit she picked up some time ago. She had tried so hard not to think about Tony; she was always trying. It never worked. Probably, because she was running his company and the name Stark appeared everywhere. And of course in every report about the new energy, Tony was mentioned as the inventor. And when she got home from work, everything got even worse. Because it was  _his_ house she called home. And  _he_ wasn’t there. 

They didn’t talk since he left. Rhodey had told her many times that Tony had listened to the message she left him – something she had regretted immediately. And to her surprise, Rhodey had a message for her. From Tony. In that moment, it had felt like her heart was beating again. However, that feeling didn’t last long. ‘ _Tony wants me to tell you that you shouldn’t worry about him. He’ll be careful. And he will come back to you, Pepper._ ’ He didn’t say when he would come back. That had been the first thing on her mind after Rhodey told her about the message. 

Of course she had been happy to hear something from him. Nevertheless, it hurt to know that he didn’t want to talk to her. She had been terrible to him, she saw that now. No one could take Iron Man away from him. It had been stupid to ever think that.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of her office which took her back to reality. She went back to her desk and sat down, trying to look concentrated. “Come in.”

The door opened slowly and Happy entered. “Mrs Potts, it’s late already and Colonel Rhodes will visit this evening, you told me to remind you of that at four o’clock.”

Was it already this late? With a look at her computer, Pepper noticed that Happy was right. She smiled at him and hoped that it looked convincing. “Thank you, Happy. I’ll just finish this report and then we can go. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“I’ll wait for you outside.” Happy said seriously and left again. Ever since Tony left, Happy didn’t leave her side. She knew that Tony had asked him to, somehow he feared for her safety. And Rhodey told her to be careful every time they talked or saw each other. She would have loved to know what’s going on, but Rhodey didn’t answer her questions. He just said that it was up to Tony to explain everything.

She tried not to think about it any longer and concentrated on the reports again.

* * *

“It’s good to see you again, Pepper.” Rhodey said and hugged her tightly. When Rhodey was in the city, they met regularly. Pepper was glad about it, except from Happy she was alone all the time.

“How are you, Rhodey?” She asked and led him to the kitchen. She had ordered food, cooking had never been one of her favourite activities.

“I’m fine, just finished another job for the government. And it looks like I have to return to Washington again next week, the President wants to talk to me.” It wasn’t unusual that Rhodey had to leave the city, however Pepper swallowed.

Rhodey seemed to notice her uneasiness and smiled. “Come on, I’ll be gone for two or three days, not longer. It’s just for formalities this time, nothing serious.”

At his words, she slowly started to relax. Now that Tony was gone, Pepper didn’t like the thought of Rhodey being in danger as well. The thought that she could lose everyone who was important to her seemed to get real, then.

“And I thought that I’ll stop by at New York on my way back.” He said those words hesitantly, as if he couldn’t judge her reaction.

Breathing in shakily, Pepper looked at her hands on the table. Suddenly, her food didn’t look so good anymore.

“Hey, Pepper. Look at me.” Rhodey whispered softly and after a few more moments, she looked up again. It was still difficult to gain control when the sadness hit her, but slowly she was getting better. “I want to make sure he’s alright.”

Something in Rhodey’s tone bothered her and Pepper narrowed her eyes. “The Avengers are with him. Why shouldn’t he be alright?” she asked suspiciously.

When Rhodey just looked at his food silently, Peppers heart began to race. “There’s something you’re not telling me. What is it, Rhodey? How’s Tony?”

Rhodey held up his hand to make her fall silent. Nevertheless, Pepper’s mind was racing. Had there already been a fight? Was he injured? Or did he –

“Pepper, you don’t have to panic. Everything’s fine.” Slowly, Rhodey’s calm voice took her back to reality. “I talk to Tony once in a while and they’re alright. Busy, but fine.”

“And why do you want to visit him to make sure he’s alright? You just said that they’re all fine. That _he’s_ fine.” 

At her confusion, Rhodey sighed. “Seems like I’ve gotten myself in much trouble here.” He muttered and when Pepper just raised her eyebrows, he sighed. “Tony tells me that everything’s fine all the time. And you know him, Pepper. Better than anyone else. So when Tony tells someone that it’s fine –“

“Either he means it or he wants to hide something.” Pepper finished his sentence and nodded.

“I talked to Steve, a few days ago.” Rhodey muttered, his voice sounding defeated. “Tony has got to deal with many things at the moment and it’s not easy for him.”

Pepper only looked at Rhodey silently, still waiting for him to go on.

“That’s why I decided to visit him. Maybe he could use someone to talk to.” Rhodey shrugged. “I never told you this, okay?”

“Alright.” Pepper muttered and stood up. Rhodey helped her to clean up and then they went to the living room. In all this time, no one talked.

“You’re so silent.” Rhodey said once they sat on the couch.

“I’m worried too.” Pepper whispered. “I can’t lose him, Rhodey.”

“I know.” Rhodey smiled at her. “And you won’t lose him. He’s with the best team in the world. They can take care of each other.”

Pepper swallowed. “I would really like to know what’s going on…” She had tried to ask Rhodey before, but she never got an answer.

“The Avengers are needed again. Isn’t that enough for now?” It was always the same answer. Normally, Pepper just sighed and changed the subject. She knew when she was defeated. This time, anger welled up inside her. She jumped to her feet and began to walk through the room aimlessly.

“No, Rhodey, it’s not enough and you know that! I know I made a mistake. I know that I have been completely stupid and now I have to take the consequences for my actions. Tony doesn’t even want to talk to me anymore! And he’s gone, who knows what he’s doing. And you know it, after all, you’re his best friend and I’m sure he told you everything. And you refuse to tell me. You say it’s up to Tony, but HE ISN’T HERE! And even you don’t know when he’ll come back! It makes me crazy, not to know if he’s in danger or what he’s doing right now.” He opened his mouth to say something, but Pepper looked at him warningly. “Did you ever think of me? Of how I feel? It kills me, this situation! I love him. I love him so much that it hurts and maybe he won’t even come back to me. Or he doesn’t want me anymore, maybe he realizes that now.”

She didn’t know when she had started to cry, but suddenly Rhodey was there and hugged her tightly. And Pepper didn’t try to fight him anymore. She just hid her face on his chest and cried out all the fear and frustration. Rhodey kept whispering calming words, but she barely registered what was being said.

Much later, she finally had gained back her self-control. “Rhodey, I’m sorry.” She began, but he shook his head.

“Don’t apologize, it’s alright. I know that this is hard for you. But Pepper, you have to understand that I promised Tony not to tell you anything. And he didn’t decide that because he wants to torture you even more. He did that for your safety.” Rhodey hesitated. “Because the Avengers will get themselves into lots of trouble. There’s something really bad going on since they’re needed again. All of them.”

Pepper understood the message. When Rhodey said that all of them were needed again, he meant that the world was in danger. Suddenly, something else came into her mind.

“What about SHIELD?” She whispered, not daring to talk louder. “Before he… left, Tony got a call from Agent Hill. And he said something strange. I didn’t realize it until now, but he said that they’re working for him now?” She looked at Rhodey questioningly and he sighed. “I promise not to tell anyone.” Pepper added quickly.

Rhodey looked at her silently for a few moments and then he nodded. “There’s no SHIELD anymore.” He muttered and Pepper inhaled sharply.

“But what -?” She began loudly and fell silent at the warning look on Rhodey’s face.

“It’s a long story. I bet Tony and Steve can tell it much better than me. You just have to know that SHIELD’s been infiltrated and doesn’t exist anymore. Someone else has taken over nearly everything. And that’s Hydra.”

At the last word, Pepper swallowed. Everyone knew Hydra. Tony had told her the story about his father’s fight against them. And of course she knew Steve’s story. How was it possible that it still existed?

“You see that it’s far more complicated than you think.” Rhodey said slowly and suddenly, Pepper felt even more afraid for Tony. Could the Avengers really defeat Hydra?

“Pepper.” Rhodey said softly. “Don’t worry, they can defeat them.”

She forced herself to look strong and nodded. “I hope so.”

* * *

Footsteps echoed through the building and Pepper recognized Happy. He was looking troubled and pointed at the TV. “Channel 8.” He said without greeting them and stopped behind the couch. Rhodey switched on the TV and they stared at the scene in front of them for a few moments.

“ _It was reported that the Avengers are back together._ ” The newsreader said in his usual calm tone. “ _They were seen yesterday evening when they left their building at New York, also called the ‘Avengers Tower’. No one knows why they are back yet or where they were heading to last evening. Their return was not seen, but this morning, Mr Tony Stark talked to the press who was waiting for him in front of his tower._ ” 

When Tony was mentioned, the pain in Pepper’s chest returned and she felt like she couldn’t breathe anymore. Suddenly, there was a hand on her arm. Rhodey smiled at her encouragingly. She concentrated on the screen again. It showed the tower now and she saw the jet leaving the platform. Everyone knew what it meant. The Avengers were heading out for a mission. Then there was another movement and Iron Man followed the jet. He wasn’t in there with the others which meant that he was going first – wherever their destination was. Normally, it meant that Tony was checking the situation before the others arrived.

Then the scene changed and she saw the tower in the morning light. Someone was standing in front of the crowd and Pepper flinched when she recognized Tony. He was wearing a black suit like he always did for press conferences, together with his sunglasses. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes, Pepper noticed immediately that he was thinner than usual. And his skin was pale. She grabbed Rhodey’s hand and he squeezed it.

“ _Mr. Stark, there are recordings that show the Avengers leaving the tower last evening._ ” A female reporter said and Tony turned his head to look at her. He was smiling, his usual smile which showed that Tony Stark didn’t have a single care in the world. Pepper would have loved to see his eyes, but at the same time she feared it. 

“ _Who said that the Avengers left the tower?_ ” Tony asked calmly. 

“ _Sir, the jet of the Avengers was seen. And except for them, no one uses it. And after that, Iron Man left as well._ ” Another reporter threw in.

Tony nodded slowly and for half a second, he bent his head, like he was listening to someone. The moment was over so soon that Pepper wasn’t sure if she just imagined it.

“ _Alright, you’re right. The Avengers went out on a mission last evening. I will not tell you what it was about and all questions will be ignored. Thank you for your time._ ”

“ _Mr Stark, is it true that all the Avengers are here at the moment?_ ” The woman from the start asked, but Tony had already turned around and disappeared in the tower again. 

When the newsreader changed the subject, Rhodey turned off the TV. Pepper looked at him with wide eyes, still shocked about Tony’s appearance. “Rhodey…” She whispered and he nodded.

“I know.”

Pepper swallowed. “Please talk to him.” she pleaded.

“I’ll do my best, Pepper.”

“Thank you.”

They spent the rest of the evening in silence.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer to Tony's and Pepper's next meeting! 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

“ _Sir, I have found the location of two more bases of Hydra._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony was sitting in the kitchen together with Steve. The others had left again after breakfast. Natasha and Clint wanted to practice new fighting techniques, while Bruce said he needed some rest and Thor wanted to contact someone from Asgard to make sure his family was alright. Secretly, Tony suspected that he wanted to call Jane Foster, but he didn’t say it aloud.

Steve had just told Tony a few stories about his time with Bucky before the war, when JARVIS’ announcement interrupted him. They exchanged a look and headed for the lab. “JARVIS, can you inform the others as well?” Tony asked when they had nearly reached the lab. Steve was walking in front of him and opened the door.

“ _They should be on their way, Sir._ ” JARVIS said and Tony grinned. 

“Seems like we’ll get more work, Cap.”

Steve shook his head, a dark expression on his face. “In the past two weeks since you’ve announced that the Avengers are back, we’ve destroyed half a dozen of Hydras bases. And who knows how much more are out there. And that they’re positioned all over the world doesn’t make it easier.”

“Does Captain America say that he would be happy if there wasn’t work to do?” Tony asked in a mocking tone and Steve nodded.

“We could all use a break. Especially you, Tony.” At the sceptical look on Tony’s face, Steve sighed. “You look terrible. When I first heard about your argument with Pepper, I thought that you’d be better soon. But Tony… it’s been weeks and you look worse with every passing day… Maybe you should really just talk to Pepper –“

The footsteps on the stairs saved Tony from Steve’s lecture. “JARVIS told us that he found something?” Clint asked and Tony nodded. He just wanted to ask JARVIS what he found, when he noticed that someone was still missing. “Where’s Thor?”

“I’m here.” Thor, who just entered the lab and looked a little stressed, answered. Tony just raised an eyebrow at him. Without saying anything, he turned towards the screen.

“JARVIS, let’s hear what you found.”

“ _I have located two bases of Hydra. They were inactive and no one was there until recently. That is why I have not found them before._ ” 

Tony exchanged a look with Steve, who frowned. “And why were they activated?” Steve asked the question which was on everyone’s mind.

“ _In the past days, there have been many transports to the two places. One is not more than a big warehouse, while the other one is a complex that includes more buildings._ ” 

“Do you know what’s been transported there, J?” Tony asked. “And where are those places?” On the screen in front of him, a map appeared. When Tony saw that it showed America, he wanted to smile because it would prevent them from a long flight. However, he froze when he saw the two red points on the map. One was close to Phoenix. The other one…

“Isn’t that Los Angeles?” Steve asked with a frown.

“Santa Barbara.” Natasha corrected him. “That’s north of LA, close to –“ She didn’t finish the sentence and just looked at Tony with wide eyes. Just like everyone else.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

The only one who looked confused was Thor. “It’s close to what?”

“Malibu.” Tony said shortly and noticed how harsh his voice sounded. “It’s close to Malibu.”

“Tony…” Steve began slowly, but he just shook his head.

“Seems like we’re heading home. Where’s the warehouse, JARVIS?” Please not in Phoenix.

“ _It is in Phoenix, Sir. Which means the other buildings are in –_ “ 

“Santa Barbara.” Tony interrupted him. “Great. Just great.” He muttered and stared darkly at the screen. His mind was racing. Why was the Hydra base there, so close to his home? Did Hydra know about it or was it just a coincidence? Suddenly, he felt afraid for Pepper. She was in Malibu, running the company. And Hydra was so close…

Suddenly, someone touched his arm. It was Natasha. “She’ll be alright, Tony.” She said softly and he sighed. Slowly, he turned around to the others. Steve and Bruce were looking worried and even Clint bit his lip. Thor had a dark look on his face. A few days after he’d talked to Nat about Pepper, the others had found out about their break as well. It didn’t bother Tony too much, he had to tell them sometime after all.

He breathed in deeply and tried to calm down. “Steve, what’s the plan?” His question seemed to surprise Steve, who was looking at him with wide eyes. Somehow, they had become the leaders of the team in the past weeks. And they made all the decisions together. Something which didn’t seem to be possible a few years ago. Back then, Tony and Steve hadn’t been the best friends.

After a few seconds, Steve cleared his throat. He looked at the screen and frowned. “The bigger threat seems to be the base in Santa Barbara, right?” The question was directed at JARVIS

“ _I have been able to look into a few files of the companies who owned the transporters. The protocols say that food and tools have been brought to the warehouse. When I decoded the files, the goods were still food and weapons. Many weapons, if the files are exact._ ” JARVIS informed them. 

“What do you mean by many?” Tony asked slowly.

“ _Thirteen transporters._ ” JARVIS answered. 

Tony exchanged a look with Steve. “And the other place?” Steve changed the subject.

“ _Mostly technical equipment. Weapons as well, but only three transporters. And supplies you need to furnish offices._ ” 

“A control base.” Steve muttered and Tony nodded.

“Even Hydra needs places from where they can organize their plans.”

“But at the west coast?” Steve still didn’t look convinced.

“They want to extend their influence on the whole world, remember?” Natasha suggested. “And it’s not like they still can use the SHIELD headquarters. Even if they have most members now, we know where the place is.”

“It’s well guarded.” Clint pointed out.

“That doesn’t bother him.” Natasha said with a look to Tony.

“A guarded place would be no barrier for us, Clint.” Thor said simply, always convinced that his hammer would solve every problem.

“It doesn’t matter why they’ve chosen this place, does it?” Tony cut in before the discussion was going too far. “We have to stop them from whatever they’re doing there either way.”

Steve nodded. “Right.” He studied the map some more. “I suggest we start with the warehouse. If they have so many weapons there, they could use it as a backup plan when we attack the other building first. And if they’re not backup, they’ll know that we’re coming.”

“And what’s the plan?” Bruce asked.

Steve grinned. “Remember the scenario we practiced last week?”

* * *

Once they had finished their plan and Tony was alone in his lab, he sat down on a chair and buried his face in his hands. “JARVIS, call Rhodey.”

Rhodey accepted the call immediately, something he always did since Tony’s argument with Pepper. “Hey Tony, what’s going on?” Tony knew him well enough to hear the tension in his voice. Why was everyone always worried?

“Where are you?” Tony asked without greeting his friend.

“I’m in LA, I thought you knew that. I’ve told you about my plans when I visited last week.”

Tony nodded, even if his friend couldn’t see it. “We’ve got a problem.” He said without hesitation.

“Tell me about it.” It always surprised Tony, how fast his friend switched from Rhodey to War Machine.

“They’re in Santa Barbara.” Tony didn’t have to mention who was there, he hoped that Rhodey would catch on.

His words were followed by a few seconds of silence. “I’ll look after Pepper.” Rhodey said seriously and Tony would have liked to cry.

“Thank you, Rhodey.” He whispered.

“Will you tell Happy about the problems as well?” Rhodey asked.

“Yeah, I don’t have much of a choice, do I? He’s with her all the time. I won’t tell him what exactly is going on, but that there’s a problem.” First, Tony didn’t want to call Happy. However, it was better if he looked out for possible threats as well. Rhodey couldn’t be with Pepper all the time.

“When will you be here?”

“In a few days, there’s something we’ve got to do first. Is this an offer for help?” He wanted to let it sound like a joke, but that didn’t work very well.

“If you’d have me.” Rhodey said simply, already accepting the fact that Tony was going to say no.

“Honestly, I’d like you to stay with Pepper once we’re there. Who knows what might happen.”

Rhodey sighed. “Alright, I’ll do it. But next time, you’ll let me help.”

“Sounds like a deal.” Tony said with a smile.

* * *

The warehouse wasn’t a problem. They watched it for a few hours and when they noticed that it wasn’t well guarded, Steve gave the signal to start with their plan. Tony thought that they were lucky, the weapons weren’t installed yet. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been this easy to get inside. He planned to thank JARVIS later.

The plan was easy. Natasha and Clint would get inside. There, they would cause trouble as a distraction. In the meantime, Steve and Tony would enter the warehouse from different sides. They had thought about securing the weapons first, but the risk that they would fall into the wrong hands was too high. So they were going to destroy them. Which didn’t mean that blowing up the building was the right choice. Luckily, Tony had invented a few tools which could inactivate weapons permanently without causing much trouble. It was mostly about destroying the technology or sometimes, melting the weapons could also be fun. When their job was done, a few members of SHIELD – well, Stark Industries – would take care of the rest. Then, the warehouse would be empty again and it would seem like nothing happened.

In the building, Tony and Steve would inactivate the weapons while Clint, Thor and Natasha took care of the people. Bruce would wait outside and coordinate the SHIELD agents. He would only join the fight when it was necessary.

Everyone was surprised when their plan worked without problems. However, Tony didn’t think that Santa Barbara would be this easy. After all, Hydra knew that the Avengers were close now. And maybe they even expected an attack.

“Good job everyone!” Steve congratulated them when suddenly, a woman was walking towards them.

“That worked well.” Agent Hill said with a smile. She turned to Tony. “We’ll get rid off everything in that building. The people will be questioned and we still have some contacts so that they’ll get locked away.”

Tony nodded. “Very good, Agent Hill.”

“When I’m done here, I’ll return to New York.” She explained now and Tony would have liked to grimace. He missed the times when she wasn’t around.

“To be honest, I’d like you to stay here until the job in Santa Barbara is done.” At his words, she raised her eyebrows. “We don’t know what awaits us there and maybe we could use some backup.” He said simply.

“You mean someone who clears away the mess you make.” Hill corrected him and Tony shrugged.

“If you say so. Thanks for offering your help.” He ignored her offended expression and gestured the Avengers to follow him towards their jet. Once she was out of sight, Steve shook his head and grinned at Tony. “Why do you always have to be so mean to her?”

Tony raised his eyebrows. Steve knew the reason.

“She can be very exhausting sometimes.” At Bruce comment, Tony couldn’t hold back his laugh anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Tell us about Santa Barbara, JARVIS.” Tony said. After Phoenix, the Avengers got into their jet to get to their next destination. This time, Tony went with them. They needed to make a plan and it was easier when they were all together.

“ _The complex consists of five buildings. They are arranged around a yard with a diameter of about fifty meters. Around the buildings, there is a fence. It is about twenty feet high with barbed wire on top. The gate is between the two smallest buildings. I have found an old ground plan of the site. The small buildings were a guest house and the guard once._ ” While JARVIS was speaking, Tony projected a small model of the base in Santa Barbara in the air so that the others could see it. It was a satellite reception, a few days old. 

Steve looked at the model with crossed arms and frowned. “Both houses look like guards.” He said thoughtfully and Tony had to agree with him.

“ _The biggest house was an office building. The one on the right was a small warehouse for goods like food._ ” JARVIS continued. 

“And the last one?” Natasha asked slowly. She didn’t look very happy with the information. Probably because there seemed to be no room to fight and escaping would be difficult as well.

“ _The house of the owner._ ” JARVIS informed them. “ _Personal information about him will not be required, I assume?_ ” 

Tony couldn’t stop himself from grinning. JARVIS had learned very much from him. “Something about secret escape passages we should know about?” He asked instead.

“ _In the old plans, there is only one. It begins in the house of the owner, close to the entrance._ ” In front of them, a plan of the house appeared and JARVIS marked the passage with a red spot. “ _It ends about two hundred meters away from the buildings, on the other side of the road._ ” 

Tony looked at the map more closely. “There’s a hill between the houses and the end of the passageway. Even if they were watching the road from the guard, they would not be able to see anyone there. Clever.”

“The question is if Hydra knows about the passage.” Bruce muttered thoughtfully.

“I would expect it.” Steve said immediately. “I bet they’ve searched the entire complex. And who knows if there aren’t already new emergency exits.”

“ _It is very unlikely, Captain Rogers._ ” JARVIS threw in. “ _Hydra occupied those buildings one week ago. That is not enough time to dig secret passageways._ ” 

Tony nodded slowly. “He’s got a point there, Steve.”

“If I would buy those buildings, I would make sure that there are enough ways to escape first.” Natasha said thoughtfully.

“Except you feel safe there. And you know that nothing can harm you.” Tony muttered suddenly and his tone had changed from thoughtful to nervous. “When you know that no one who shouldn’t be there can come even close to your buildings.”

“Do you think they are so sure of themselves?” Bruce asked.

“I would be, if I had just destroyed an institution like SHIELD.” Thor gave into consideration.

“It’s not that.” Tony muttered and ignored their comments. “JARVIS, scale up the office building. I need the roof, close to the antenna.” When the picture in front of him changed, Tony sighed and closed his eyes.

“Tony, what’s going on?” Steve asked slowly. He looked at the object on the roof which had caused Tony’s outburst. “What’s that?”

“A problem.” Tony said simply and ran a hand through his hair. “JARVIS, get me scans of the radiation in the air. And everything else you can get.”

Next to him, Bruce’s eyes widened. “Do you think it’s a…” He didn’t finish his sentence and Tony nodded.

“I _know_ it is.” He corrected him. 

Now Bruce looked at him with raised eyebrows. “How?”

“I knew the man who invented them. He was brilliant. And this technique is brilliant too. Could have been my idea, if I’d just been a few years earlier.”

“You knew…?”

“Yes, I did.” Tony smiled sadly. “He was a very nice man.”

“Would you please tell us what’s going on?” Steve demanded in his usual Captain America voice.

Tony sighed again. “This” he pointed at the object on the roof which looked like a small satellite “can construct something like an electromagnetic shield. You can vary it’s strength, which also effects the characteristics of the shield. When the electromagnetic radiation is high enough, the air contracts which results in the electrons to get closer to each other, which means that –“

“Tony, speak English!” Steve growled.

“You can’t get past it. It’s like you’re running against a wall. And it’s all around there, so coming from above won’t help.” Tony said quickly.

“And what are we going to do against it?”

“Can’t Mjölnir help us with it?” Thor asked.

“I don’t think that he could do anything against the shield.” Bruce answered thoughtfully. “It could just charge the shield electrically which would mean that it gets even more dangerous.”

“And it would probably kill everyone who touches it.” Tony added. He shook his head slowly. “There’s nothing you can do about it, Cap.”

Steve took the hint and raised his eyebrows. “And you?”

Tony looked at the picture of the roof again. “JARVIS, can you calculate the range of the shield?”

“ _I have scanned the radiation around the buildings. With them, I have calculated the radius of the shield, Sir. If I am correct, it should be one hundred meters. That would include all the buildings and their surroundings. Also part of the street. However, it doesn’t include the secret escape passageway._ ” 

“Can the shield create a wall in the tunnel?” Steve asked curiously and Tony shook his head.

“No, it can’t get through the ground or buildings. That’s why the area it covers is to big. Otherwise, you could just go through a building to get past it.” He explained.

“Why don’t we go through the passageway?” Natasha asked. “Clint and I could go through and deactivate the shield while you wait for us –“

“No, that’s not an option.” Steve interrupted her shortly. “It’s too dangerous. Who knows what awaits us down there if Hydra knows about the passage? I bet there’ll be cameras and traps.” He turned to Tony. “Can you get past the shield?”

Tony hesitated. “There might be a possible way…” He muttered and began to type on his phone. “It’s not a very good option. And besides, I would need something from my lab for that…”

“New York is too far away.” Steve contradicted.

“Malibu.” Tony muttered.

“What?”

“My lab at home, in Malibu.” When he looked up, he saw a questioning look on Steve’s face. Tony turned around and ignored it. With a sigh, he raised his phone to his ear.

It took Rhodey only a few seconds to answer the call. “Hey Tony, Pepper’s still at work. Happy’s with her. We will meet later, at the moment I’m at the base in LA –“

“Rhodey, I need your help.” Tony interrupted him and explained what he needed. After a long silence, Rhodey sighed.

“Alright, I’ll do it. You owe me something, Tony.”

Tony chuckled. “I already knew that. Thank you, Rhodey.”

When he finished the call, the Avengers were looking at him in silence. “Rhodey will meet us outside of Malibu, he’ll get me what I need.”

“Tony…” Natasha began hesitantly and he sighed.

“I’ll talk to her, I promise. But not now, we don’t have time for that. And besides, she’s not at home.”

The sad expression on Natasha’s face took him by surprise. “You’re impossible.” She whispered, even if it sounded half-heartedly. Then she closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly.

* * *

“You won’t tell me what’s going on, right?” Rhodey asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. They had met outside of Malibu on a place where they could be alone.

Tony hesitated while Rhodey handed him the device he needed. It wasn’t much bigger than a cell phone. “All I can tell you is that Hydra’s got a base in Santa Barbara. And we’ll deal with it.” He said quietly. Since Rhodey knew about Hydra already, Tony could also tell him why they were here now.

“You’ll be careful?” Rhodey asked and Tony nodded.

“We always are.”

Suddenly, a sad smile appeared on Rhodey’s lips. “Pepper misses you. And ever since you told us to be careful, she’s even more afraid than usual that something might happen to you. After all, Happy doesn’t leave her side anymore. And I’m there nearly every day too. She’s suspicious. Especially because we don’t tell her what’s going on.”

When Rhodey mentioned Pepper, the pain in Tony’s chest returned. He cleared his throat. “Make sure she’s alright.” He looked to the jet where the others are waiting. They didn’t come with him to talk to Rhodey. Possibly to give them a short moment of privacy. “I’ve got to go…” He muttered and smiled slightly. He hoped that it didn’t look like a grimace. “See you soon, Rhodey.”

“When something bad happens, call me. I can be there within an hour. And if everything works out well, you could stop by at home on your way back…” The unspoken question hang in the air and Tony shrugged.

“I don’t know.” He said honestly. He really didn’t know what would happen the next time he saw Pepper.

* * *

“You go first, Tony. You deactivate the shield with whatever device you needed. I bet they’re looking for possible intruders, so they’ll notice you. And they’ll shoot.” Steve told them his plan.

“Won’t be a problem, I’m prepared for this.” Tony said lightly.

“Once the shield is gone, we’ll come to your help. Thor, you come from above since you’re the only one except for Tony who can do that. I’ll take my bike and come over the road. They’ll see me coming, so I expect them to shoot.”

“We’ll have your back, Cap.” Tony said and Thor nodded.

“Natasha and Clint, you’ll come after me. Since the gate is the only way to get there, I don’t see another possibility.”

“Isn’t it a bad idea to split up like this?” Clint asked with a frown. Just like everyone else, he was studying the map.

“What about me?” Bruce asked. “Will the Other Guy be needed or am I going to be a backup plan like last time?”

“I fear that you’ll have to fight this time.” Steve said. “They’ll know that we’re coming by now. After all, we destroyed their new warehouse.”

“What will we do once we’re inside?” Natasha asked.

“Destroy the weapons, find everything else that is a threat and capture everyone who’s working for Hydra.” was the simple answer which was followed by silence.

“And you really think that’ll work?” Clint asked hesitantly.

Steve shook his head. “No. But when it won’t work, we have to improvise either way.”

* * *

The first part of their plan was easy. Tony watched the base for some time until he had located all the security guards on the roof. There were only twenty on five buildings, however he suspected that more of them were in the guard and would come outside once they saw him. Luckily, they only had machine pistols that didn’t bother his suit.

With his device that would block the signal of the small satellite on the roof, he had to get as close as possible. Otherwise, it wouldn’t work.

The guards didn’t notice him until he was close to the shield and Tony was grateful for that. Unfortunately, the shield was invisible. That made it much harder to assess how close he could get. Suddenly, he had an idea. The guards were shouting and looking at him, even if no one was shooting. What were they waiting for? Then it hit him. He couldn’t get past the shield from the outside – and from the inside it was the same. They would only hit the shield.

Tony followed his idea and fired at the satellite. He grinned when a blue net appeared all around the base, surrounding it. It disappeared after a few seconds, but that had been enough for Tony. He pressed the button on his device and let it fall right above the barrier. For half a second, he feared that it wouldn’t work and that it would just by lying there. Luckily, the device fell right through the barrier and hit the satellite. There was a cracking noise and the shield lit up again – just to vanish completely.

“ _Iron Man, what was that?_ ” Steve asked. 

“I think the shield’s deactivated; I’ll try it. Just give me a sec.” Tony changed his course and prepared himself to hit the barrier every moment. However, nothing happened. “It’s gone!” He told the others and just had enough time to dodge away because the guards were shooting at him now.

“ _Then let’s go!_ ” 

* * *

Their plan didn’t work well. First, everything seemed to be alright. Thor fought the guards on the roof while Tony opened the gate for Steve. Then they took care of the other guards. Not soon after that, Natasha and Clint joined them. Bruce was still waiting for his signal to join the fight. There wasn’t much space between the buildings and they decided to call the Hulk only when it was necessary.

So far, everything was okay. Until Hydra blew up the office building to bury the Avengers under it. Tony just had enough time to save himself, but his left arm was hit by a big rock; he hoped that it wasn’t broken. The others weren’t so lucky. They were buried under the wreckage. And then the Hydra agents who had been hiding in the remaining buildings stormed outside, all heavily armed.

Tony had just enough time to help the others at getting free – Thor and Steve helped him by that – before the Hydra agents started to shoot at them.

“ _I’m on my way!_ ” Bruce announced and Tony prayed that he’d be there soon. Steve, Thor and he tried to protect Natasha and Clint as good as possible, but they could really use some backup. 

Suddenly, Natasha screamed. She’d been fighting against one of the Hydra agents who didn’t have a gun – he had been fighting with a long knife. Apparently, Natasha had already been hurt when the building had been destroyed. Otherwise, the man wouldn’t have a chance against her. And now the man had stabbed her in the shoulder.

“You have to get her out of here!” Steve shouted to Clint, who was kneeling down next to Natasha while Tony took care of the Hydra soldiers.

“There’s no way out!” Clint yelled back.

“There is!” Tony threw in and pointed at the building with the secret passageway. “Can you get her out alone, Clint?”

When Clint nodded and helped Natasha to her feet, Tony tried to protect them as good as possible. He was worried; Natasha was deadly pale and was rarely able to stand on her own feet. “We’ll have your back!” He shouted before Clint and Natasha vanished on the stairs that led to the passage. It had been dark and dusty, apparently Hydra hadn’t found it yet.

“Are they alright?” Thor asked once Tony was back in the battle. Many of the Hydra soldiers were already lying on the ground. However, their weapons were strong and it wasn’t easy to defeat them. Tony suspected that it also helped them that they were the majority there.

“I hope so!” Tony muttered and concentrated on the fight again. Since the Hulk had joined them, they were slowly starting to defeat the Hydra agents.

Suddenly, there was the sound of cars coming closer. “Seems like Hydra gets reinforcements!” Steve shouted.

But Tony just shook his head. “We do!”

And it was true. The first vans opened their doors and SHIELD agents stormed out to join the fight. First of all, Maria Hill. “I told you we’d be here before it’s over!” She shouted when she got closer to Tony and he grinned.

“It’s good to see you again, Agent Hill!”

“How are you here?” Steve asked before he threw his shield at the next Hydra agent.

“Mr Stark told us that you could need help. We came here as fast as possible.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Steve shouted at Tony, even if he didn’t look angry.

“I wasn’t sure if they’d come in time!” Was his answer.

“I’m glad they did!” Thor threw in before he cut down another man with his hammer.

* * *

When the fight was over, the SHIELD agents began to clean up the mess immediately.

“You did a very good job, Agent Hill.” Steve said and shook her hand.

“It was a pleasure to help you, Captain.” She said simply and looked around. “Where are Clint and Natasha?”

“They left during the fight, Natasha’s been hurt.” Steve explained, a concerned expression on his face.

“I’m already trying to contact them.” Tony explained and it was true. As soon as the fighting had stopped, he’d tried to talk to them. However, no one answered. “I’ll see where they are.”

Before anyone could disagree, Tony flew off towards the end of the passageway. It wasn’t hard to find the hidden door in the ground, it was behind a few rocks and bushes. He opened the door slowly, ready to defend himself, and found two pairs of eyes looking at him.

Clint was looking worried and Natasha had a pained expression on her face. “We’ve got to do something, Nat’s been hurt.” Clint said immediately. “I think the dagger’s been poisoned.”

Tony helped them to get out of there and contacted the others. “Get the jet as fast as possible, we’ve got a problem. Is Dr Banner with us again?”

“ _I’m here. Tony, what’s going on?_ ” 

“What do you know about poison?”

“ _Tony, we’re on our way. What happened?_ ” Steve asked without giving Bruce the chance to answer. 

Tony explained it to them in short words. A few minutes later, the jet landed in front of them and Steve and Bruce stormed out. “I think I can help her, but not here. We’ve got to take her to a hospital.” Bruce muttered when he looked at the injury.

“The next one’s in LA. We can be there within thirty minutes.” Tony muttered.

Bruce shook his head. “Then it’ll be too late.” They carried Natasha into the jet carefully.

“Where are we heading to?” Steve asked, ready to start the jet.

Tony breathed in deeply. “10880 Malibu Point.” He turned to Bruce. “I’ve got lots of antidotes and stuff in my lab. Do you think you can help her with it?”

When Bruce nodded, Tony turned to Steve. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

In the jet, Tony called Rhodey.

“ _Tony, what’s going on? In the TV they said there had been an explosion, a building was destroyed. In Santa Barbara. Were you responsible for this?_ ” Rhodey asked once he accepted the call. 

“Hey Rhodey, yeah maybe. But that doesn’t matter right now. We’ve got a problem.” Tony said quickly.

“ _A problem that’s bigger than this? It’s everywhere in the news, Tony._ ” 

“We’ll take care of it later.” Tony muttered and just wanted to go on, when Rhodey interrupted him again.

“ _At the moment they think that it was a gas explosion. Without people involved._ ” 

“Yeah, well, that’s great Rhodey. But now please listen to me.” Tony said in an annoyed voice and finally, Rhodey was silent. “Pepper and Happy, are they there? At home?”

“ _Yes, why do you ask? I’m with them, looking for her._ ” 

Tony swallowed. So he would really have to face her now. “Don’t get a heart attack when a jet lands in front of the house.”

“ _Tony, what do you mean? Are you coming here?_ ” 

Without answering, Tony ended the call.

Steve, who was flying the jet, had listened with narrowed eyes. “I assume they’ll expect us to come.” He said slowly and when Tony nodded, a concerned look appeared on Steve’s face. “Tony, if you can’t face her yet…” He whispered so that only he could hear it.

“We have to go there, Steve. And I can’t just let you go in and wait inside the jet. And not showing myself won’t make anything better as well.” He sighed and wanted to run a hand through his hair, when he noticed that he was still wearing the suit. And the sharp pain in his left arm reminded him of the fact that he’d been injured too.

“Are you alright?” Steve asked when Tony sighed and grimaced in pain.

“I’m fine. A rock hit my arm; JARVIS says it’s not broken.”

“You should let Bruce have a look at it either way.” Steve said sternly and Tony nodded. What else could he do?

Tony turned around to Bruce and Natasha. She was deadly pale and her eyes were closed. The bleeding on her arm had already stopped and Tony feared that this wasn’t good. “How is she?” Steve asked since he couldn’t just turn around.

“She doesn’t look good.” Tony muttered and went to them. Clint was sitting next to Natasha and held her hand tightly, while Thor was walking around restlessly.

“When will we be there?” Bruce asked calmly.

“About five minutes.”

“We’ll have to be fast. She’s strong, but I don’t know how much longer she can stand this.” Now Tony could hear the worry in Bruce’s voice.

“The others know that we’ll come so Rhodey doesn’t have to shoot at us. And in my lab, everything should be ready.”

They spent the next minutes in silence.

“We’re there, I’ll land now.” Steve announced and when Tony looked outside, he saw the familiar scenery of his house at the ocean in front of him. How long had he been gone? Two months? Longer? At the thought that Pepper was inside that house, a sharp pain appeared in Tony’s chest. He had missed her so much in the past weeks. There was nothing he wanted more than to see her again. And at the same time, it was the last thing he wanted.

Of course she said that she regretted everything. That keeping him from being Iron Man had been a bad idea. And that she would never do it again. But was he ready to believe her all this? He had talked about it with Rhodey and his friend always told him that she really regretted it. And that she missed him. But could things really be like they used to? Or had something changed between them permanently.

When the jet hit the ground, Tony was ripped out of his thoughts.

Thor lifted Natasha off the ground carefully and held her in his arms. Clint was walking next to them, still holding her hand. Bruce had already left the jet and was waiting for Tony to take the lead. When he went outside as well, Steve was right behind him, his shield on his back.

Tony wondered if they’d scare the others. They were all dirty from the explosion and Natasha, Clint and Bruce were covered in blood. Steve had a cut on his cheek and Tony didn’t want to know how he looked himself. But they had no other choice than to go in there now. And somehow, Tony really didn’t want to worry just because he entered his house. His home.

From the entrance, they would have to walk through two corridors to get to the living room. There the others would be waiting. Unfortunately, the stairs to his lab began there too. So there was no way they would get in there without facing Rhodey, Happy and Pepper. He hoped that Rhodey told them that they’d come.

“JARVIS, get the lab ready. Scanning mode, an injured person. We need poisons and antidotes. As fast as possible.” He said once they entered the house.

“ _I will prepare everything, Sir._ ” JARVIS said and Tony took the lead. Next to him, Steve looked around carefully. He’d been here before, right after it had been built. So he wasn’t looking at the house itself – he was looking for the others! When Steve looked at Tony, he gestured towards the living room. The man next to him nodded and suddenly, it wasn’t Steve anymore but Captain America. 

They had to walk slowly, otherwise Thor couldn’t carry Natasha smooth enough. Suddenly, Clint gasped. “Natasha? Natasha!” He looked at them wide-eyed. “She’s losing consciousness!”

“Maybe now is the time to be faster.” Tony said and began to run towards the living room. The others followed him immediately.

Apparently, they had already heard their footsteps. Or the jet, that couldn’t be easily missed. When they entered the living room, Rhodey was standing in front of the couch, a watchful expression on his face. Right behind him stood Pepper and Happy. There were a few details Tony noticed in that moment. She was thinner than usual and paler. Her hair wasn’t as tidy. There were dark rings under her eyes. And she looked afraid.

However, they really didn’t have time for this now. “It’s very good to see you. I would really love to talk now, but we really don’t have time.” From the corner of his eyes, he noticed the shocked expressions on their faces when Thor carried the injured Natasha through the room.

“Tony!” Steve shouted and he gestured them to follow him.

“This way!” He went downstairs and already gave JARVIS more instructions.

* * *

Three exhausting hours later, Bruce and Tony had saved Natasha’s life. Finding the right antidote and taking care of the injury had been hard, but somehow, they made it. The other Avengers didn’t leave the lab the entire time. So now, Tony sat down in his hair and sighed, while Bruce looked at the sleeping Natasha. Luckily, Tony also had something against the pain. Steve, Clint and Thor were sitting on the ground, everyone lost in their own thoughts.

“She’ll make it.” Bruce repeated his words and inhaled deeply.

Slowly, Steve stood up. They were all still armed – only Tony had stepped out of his suit. Otherwise, helping would have been much more complicated. “You did a very good job.” He looked from Bruce to Tony. “Both of you.”

Bruce smiled slightly, while Tony just shrugged. Which reminded him of his injured arm. Bruce had looked at it after helping Natasha and luckily, it was just a bruise which would fade sooner or later.

“JARVIS, are the guest rooms prepared?” Tony asked and looked at his exhausted friends.

“ _Yes Sir, there are five rooms ready._ ” JARVIS answered immediately. 

Tony nodded. “We should take Natasha to her room. And I think we all need rest as well.”

“Tony” Steve began hesitantly “do you really think that it’s a good idea to stay here? I mean, after all you and Pepper…” He didn’t finish his sentence and in the faces of the others, Tony saw that they had the same doubts.

He sighed. “This is my house. And here, I can do whatever I want. We’ll stay here and if it’s just for a day.” He looked at Natasha. “We can’t move her too much, she really needs rest.”

Steve nodded reluctantly. “Alright.”

Tony looked at the clock in his lab and raised is eyebrows in surprise. Was it already eight o’clock in the afternoon? They had started the attack on the Hydra base last night.

He turned to the others and smiled slightly. “I would love to give you a tour of the house, but that can wait until tomorrow, I think. I’ll just take you to your rooms.” The guest rooms were in the other part of the house than Tony’s room. On the floor above the guest rooms, Happy and Rhodey each had a bed chamber in which they could sleep when they stayed over. Of course the stairs that led to the guest rooms was next to the entrance, which meant that they had to cross the living room again. Tony really hoped that the others weren’t there anymore.

When they went upstairs, Rhodey was still sitting on the couch, a thoughtful look on his face. Pepper and Happy were gone. “How is she?” Rhodey asked and stood up.

“She’ll be alright.” Tony said quietly and sighed. “It’s been a long day. I’m sorry that we came here like this, but there was no other place we could go –“

“Tony, it’s your house, remember?” Rhodey said and suddenly, he grinned.

Tony couldn’t stop himself, he started to laugh loudly. He didn’t know if it was of relief or happiness to see his best friend again, but he didn’t care. And to his surprise, the other Avengers laughed with him.

“It’s good to see you again, Rhodey.”

Rhodey was still grinning. “I’m sure you know that you all look terrible and like you’re going to pass out soon?”

Tony nodded. “That’s why I’ll show them their rooms. I’ll be right back.” He gestured the others to follow them. The guest rooms were nothing special, just a small room with a bed, a wardrobe and a table. And of course each room had its own bathroom. On each bed were lying clothes in the exact size of Tony’s friends.

“JARVIS took care of this.” Tony explained when he noticed the questioning looks of the others. “I thought you might want to have something clean. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast.” The others went to their rooms and Tony already wanted to go downstairs again, when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. It was Steve. 

“Shouldn’t you also go to sleep, Cap?” Tony asked lightly and Steve raised his eyebrows.

“And what about you, Mr. Stark?”

Tony sighed. “I’ll tell Rhodey what happened and after that, I’ll look for a place to sleep too.”

At that, Steve’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me that you gave all your rooms to us and now there’s none left for you.”

Tony shook his head. “There are a few more rooms, I’ll just take one of them. Since my rooms already occupied…”

The concerned look on Steve’s face made Tony look down on his feet. “You’ll have to talk to her. Now would be the perfect chance.”

He sighed again. “I know, Steve. And I bet Rhodey will tell me the same. I just don’t know what to say.” He admitted after a few moments of hesitation.

Steve’s expression softened. “Just tell her how you feel. That will make everything easier, I’m sure of that.”

“I don’t know if I can stand it when she gets angry. And somehow, I think she will.”

Steve frowned. “Why should she get angry at you?”

“I could think of a few things. I told her I need time. I never called her. I risk my life nearly every day. I made her upset and I hurt her. The list is very long.”

“You can’t keep running away from her. You love her, Tony. And I’m sure she loves you too. I’ve seen the look in her eyes when you stormed into the living room a few hours ago.”

“She looked afraid.” Tony muttered and Steve sighed.

“For a genius, you can be very stupid sometimes. She was afraid _for you_. You didn’t look in the mirror since we came here, did you?” When Tony shook his head, Steve nodded. “I thought so. Just do it, then you’ll have your answer. And talk to her. If not now, do it tomorrow. Maybe you should also get some sleep before that. After all, you do that so rarely.” 

Tony sighed in defeat. “Since when do I have to take advice from a man who’s been frozen for years?”

Steve grinned. “Sometimes, even a genius needs some help.” With that, he turned around and went to his room.

* * *

Back in the living room, Tony told Rhodey about what happened. His friend regretted it that he hadn’t been there to help them.

“Really, next time the Avengers go on a mission, you have to take me with you.” Rhodey muttered.

Tony had just grinned. “I made a promise, didn’t I?” That had improved Rhodey’s mood. However, he kept looking at Tony with the concerned look.

“You look terrible. Are you sure that you’re not hurt worse than just the arm?”

Tony shook his head. “I’m fine.” After his conversation with Steve, Tony had looked in the mirror. His friend had been right, his face had been covered in dirt and blood and there was a deep cut on his forehead. He didn’t know how that happened. And his left arm was a mixture of red and purple bruises. And of course he was also covered in Natasha’s blood now, next to his own. He had washed the blood off his face, but the other things could only be mended by shower and fresh clothes. However, Tony wanted to talk to Rhodey first.

Suddenly, Rhodey looked tired. “Go and get some sleep, Tony.” He muttered and looked out of the window, lost in thoughts.

“Rhodey…” Tony began slowly, not sure if he should ask what was bothering his friend.

“I’ve been worried for you. For weeks, Tony. That’s all.” Rhodey said quietly. “Maybe we can talk tomorrow?”

“Yeah…” Tony said slowly and stood up.

He made his way to the kitchen to get something to drink. When he was leaning on the counter with a glass of water in his hands, he heard footsteps coming closer. Someone was walking through the house with bare feet and Tony knew who it was immediately.

First, Pepper didn’t notice him when she entered the kitchen. She switched on the light and froze when she saw Tony standing there.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Without thinking about it, Tony held his breath. Pepper was staring at him wide-eyed. It was obvious that she didn’t expect anyone to be here. Especially not him.

“I’m sorry…” She began hesitantly, not knowing what to say. “I’ll just go again and come back later...” She turned around hastily and was already halfway out of the room when Tony finally came to his senses again.

“Don’t go.” He said softly and she froze. Slowly, Pepper turned around to face him again. She was pale and insecurity was written all over her face. “You don’t have to run away from me, Pep.” She closed her eyes when he said her name and breathed in deeply. Tony just watched her in silence when she made her way through the kitchen. When he saw that she was heading for the fridge, he stepped away quickly. Only the frown on her face told him that she felt just as uncomfortable as he did.

Tony was already thinking that it had been a mistake to make her stay. Maybe he should just leave and go to his lab again…

“I can hear your thoughts.” Pepper whispered and sat down on the table with a glass of orange juice. “You don’t have to leave, it’s your house.”

With a sigh, Tony sat down as well. “You live here too. And it’s me who’s been the idiot, so if anyone should leave, it would be me.” He didn’t know why he just said that, but he couldn’t stop the words from leaving his lips.

To his surprise, Pepper shook her head fiercely. “Tony, I’ve been stupid. Not you.” She just wanted to say more, when he held up his hand.

“Let’s not discuss this, alright?” He muttered and his question was followed by silence. He had looked down on the glass in his hands and when the silence continued, he finally looked up again.

Pepper was looking at him with a frown on her face. However, he could see in her eyes that she was worried. When she still didn’t say anything, Tony used the time to look at her more closely. He had been right; Pepper had lost weight. And there were dark rings under her eyes. Apparently, she also had a problem with sleeping. And she moved the glass in her hands nervously, something she hadn’t done before. Normally, she was a very calm person. It took him a while to notice that Pepper’s expression had changed. The frown was gone and now she was looking at him with concern in her eyes.

Tony knew why. He had seen it himself, every time he had looked in the mirror those past weeks. And the team always reminded him of that, sometimes they treated him like he was made of glass.

The look on Pepper’s face told him that he looked terrible. He had washed off the blood, but there was still a deep cut on his forehead. And his clothes were covered in blood, the once grey t shirt was nearly black. And on his left wrist you could see a purple bruise that made its way up his arm. And then there were other things he carried around for a while now. He knew he was underweight and the lack of sleep couldn’t be missed – that’s why he was always wearing his sunglasses in public. 

Pepper breathed in shakily. “Tony…” She began, her voice barely a whisper. When he looked into her eyes, she cleared her throat. “You don’t look good. And you’re injured.”

He shrugged – bad idea with his arm – and drank some of his water to have more time for an answer. “It’s nothing.” He began and apparently, it had been the wrong thing to say.

“Nothing? This should be nothing?” She asked in a disbelieving tone and raised her eyebrows. “Have you even looked in the mirror ever since you came here?”

He nodded and closed his eyes.

“You look like you’re going to pass out every moment!” Slowly, she was sounding angry and he sighed. To his surprise, that made her fall silent again.

“I’m just tired, that’s all. Tomorrow, everything will be alright again.” Tony muttered and wasn’t sure if he tried to convince Pepper or himself.

“Tony…” Pepper said hesitantly and stopped again. He raised his eyebrows at her - also not a good idea with a cut on your forehead - and she ran a hand through her hair. He wondered if she’d copied that gesture from him. “I’m worried for you. Very much, to be honest. Those past weeks…” She shook her head. “I’ve missed you, Tony.” The last sentence was whispered and followed by a sad smile.

“I’m alright, Pepper. You don’t have to worry. I have the best team that’s looking after me and they’re also great friends. We’ll be alright.” He was saying it in a soft tone and suddenly, he had made his decision. He just didn’t know how to put it into practice.

“Today, it didn’t look alright.” Pepper replied. “You were the one who called before you came here, right? Rhodey was so nervous, I think I’ve only seen him this worried before once.” Somehow, Tony knew that she meant the time he’d gone missing in Afghanistan.

Tony nodded hesitantly. “Well, I didn’t exactly tell him why we were coming… He knew that we were nearby, but –“ He didn’t finish his sentence and Pepper’s expression told him that she knew what he wanted to say.  _But we didn’t want to come here._ And it was true, if Natasha hadn’t been injured, they would have returned to New York. “But now we’re here and I think you’ll have to stick around with us for a few days. Natasha can’t travel again yet.” 

“How is she?” Pepper asked, looking glad that he changed the subject. He was surprised that they could just talk like normal people.

“She’ll be fine. We got the poison out of her system and Bruce took care of the injury.”

“Did he also look at you?” Pepper asked suddenly and Tony raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Your arm.” Now Pepper looked tensed again. It was easier to talk about others than to talk about themselves.

Tony nodded. “Just a bruise, will be gone soon.”

“Does it hurt?”

His first instinct would have been to say no. But this was Pepper and probably, she already knew that he was in pain. So he just nodded silently.

“You really need to rest.” Pepper said softly and he sighed. “Maybe… Maybe we can talk again tomorrow?” Now she sounded insecure.

“Sounds like a plan.” He said and smiled at her. She smiled back at him.

He stood up slowly, he didn’t want to stumble in front of her. She was already worried enough. “I’ll just get some clothes and look for a free room…” Luckily, they had a separate dressing room.

“No, you can take the bedroom. I’ll sleep somewhere else.” Pepper argued immediately.

“Won’t happen.” Tony shot back. When he was at the door, he turned around and looked at her again. She was looking lost, standing there in the middle of the kitchen. “Good night, Pepper.” He whispered before he turned around and left.

“Sleep well, Tony.” He smiled when he heard the soft words coming from her.

* * *

The next morning, Tony didn’t feel good. His head was hurting and it was difficult to move his arm. Bruce had warned him already the previous evening that this might happen, but Tony hadn’t thought about it very much back then. He had been too tired and there were too many thoughts in his head. Especially about Pepper. And their talk hadn’t made anything better. A look on the clock told him that it was seven o’clock in the morning.

Tony groaned. Stupid nightmares! Normally, they kept him awake. This time, they made him wake up this early. He stood up and took the clothes he’d gotten last evening. Jeans and a dark blue shirt with the word ‘Superhero’ on the chest. It had been a present from Rhodey, back when Iron Man had become famous.

Once he was dressed, Tony left the room he slept in and made his way to the kitchen. He hoped that he’d have some time alone there. Usually, Pepper was already gone at this time, she left for Stark Industries very early in the morning. And Rhodey would be at work too. Which left Tony and the other Avengers alone in the house. Maybe it was good to have some time to think about his relationship with Pepper.

Tony knew that his decision had been made. Pepper was feeling miserable, that was obvious. And if he was honest to himself, Tony wasn’t feeling very good as well. And he had missed her in the past weeks. He wanted to figure it out with her. To hold her in his arms again.

Why was it so difficult to figure out how to do that?

When he entered the kitchen, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. There was a delicious smell in the air – and the reason made him grin. Steve was making breakfast – scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.

“Good morning. I see you’ve made yourself at home already.” Tony said loudly and Steve turned around quickly, apparently he didn’t hear him coming. And then there was the next surprise of the morning. Steve blushed!

“Good morning to you too, Tony. I just thought that after what happened yesterday we might all need something to eat and –“ He was speaking fast and nearly forgot to look at the eggs which would be going to get burnt soon. In the last second, Steve turned around and saved them from the stove.

“No need to get embarrassed, Cap.” Tony grinned. “It’s alright, I really appreciate this.” He gestured at the food. “Otherwise, I would have made something. Even though I doubt that it would have been as good as yours.” In the Tower, Steve prepared breakfast for the team nearly every morning. They had been very surprised to discover that Captain America likes to cook.

“You know that’s not true.” Steve muttered and handed Tony a cup of coffee. Right now, he knew again why Steve was his best friend next to Rhodey. “I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to cook here first. After all, it’s your house and Pepper lives here as well.” Steve shrugged. “I needed something to do.”

When Tony looked at him more closely, he saw the dark rings under his eyes. “Didn’t sleep well?”

Steve nodded. “Nightmares. You too?”

Tony nodded. “Always.” Somehow, he didn’t mind that Steve knew about his nightmares. They had talked about it before, more times than Tony could count. Steve was dreaming of Bucky and the ice, while Tony lost everyone he loved – especially Pepper. However, in the past months there had been new faces too. Steve. Natasha. Bruce. Clint. Even Thor. The Avengers were a part of his family now. A few years ago, he would have never believed that it’s possible.

Tony cleared his throat. “I talked to Pepper last night.” He said slowly and Steve nearly dropped the spoon.

“You did what?” Steve asked loudly and Tony gestured him to be silent.

“Could you please stop shouting so loud that even the people in LA will hear it?”

Steve looked away sheepishly. Then he sat down next to Tony, also a cup of coffee in his hands. When they first met, Steve had hated coffee. However, Tony had convinced him that it could also be delicious. And useful, even if Tony doubted that Steve could be influenced by caffeine. In short words, Tony told him about his conversation with Pepper. He didn’t want the others to hear it and no one knew when they might come to the kitchen.

“You want to talk to her again?” Steve asked.

Tony nodded. “It’s time to end the hiding and not talking to each other.” He sighed. “I miss her, Steve. I’ve missed her all this time that we’ve been apart. And now that we’re here… I can’t miss this chance to make it alright again. Or just try that, who knows if she even wants me back…”

At those words, Steve put his cup down on the table with a loud bang. “For a genius, you can be very blind sometimes.” He said simply and when Tony raised his eyebrows, Steve just rolled his eyes. “Oh come on, Tony. I already told you last night that she’s worried for you. And I won’t say it twice.” After a short pause, Steve smiled. “It’s good that you talked to her.”

Tony wanted to reply something, when they heard footsteps. Seconds later, the others entered the kitchen. Natasha was still very pale and Clint had wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, but she was smiling.

“I see you’ve already been busy.” Thor said with a grin and then they all started to eat breakfast.

When they were finished, they talked about the events of the previous day. Natasha didn’t remember much of the fight, so the others told her what happened. During that conversation, Tony’s phone rang. A look on the display told him that it was Agent Hill. He left the kitchen and accepted the call.

“Good morning, Agent Hill.” He greeted her and hoped that he sounded friendly. A call from her could only mean something bad.

“Mr. Stark, we have started to remove all the belongings of Hydra from the remaining buildings in Santa Barbara.” She told him without even saying good morning. Tony made a mental note not to greet her anymore.

“That’s good, so this whole business is settled by now?” He walked through his living room and stopped at one of the windows. In his time at New York, he had nearly forgotten how beautiful Malibu was. How he’s missed the ocean…

“That’s why I’ve called. Here’s something you might want to look at.”

He could stop himself from groaning in the last second. “And what would that be?”

“It looks like a control room. Very much technique, monitors, computers, you know that stuff. And something that looks like a GPS. My people have looked at it in the past hours, but they don’t understand what all this is. Hydra locked the system when they saw you coming, we can’t start anything here. Maybe you will be able to do that.”

“I’ll have a look at it.” Tony muttered and would have liked to scream. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. I just have to tell the others that I’ll leave.”

“How is Natasha?” Agent Hill asked now and Tony remembered that the two women got along well.

“She’s fine, still healing, but she’ll be alright. I think she’ll go to sleep again after Bruce looked at the injuries once more.”

There was a moment of silence. “That’s good.” Agent Hill said then. “I’ll see you soon, Mr. Stark. We’ll keep cleaning up here.” She ended the call without saying goodbye. Tony made a note to stop doing that as well.

* * *

In the kitchen, Bruce told him that he would go down to the lab with Natasha. JARVIS would run some scans on her to see if all the poison was gone and the injury was healing. Tony just nodded, but asked Bruce to wait a few more minutes.

The others were looking at him thoughtfully when he repeated Hill’s news. “So I’ll go and have a look at it.” Tony finished. “Anyone who wants to come with me?”

Bruce shook his head apologetically, but Tony had already expected him to say no. “I’ll look at Natasha’s injuries and after that, I’ll go and read a book or something like that.”

Clint also shook his head. “Someone’s got to look after Natasha.” She wanted to protest, but Clint cut her off again. “I won’t leave you alone.” To Tony’s surprise, she didn’t argue with him.

Thor looked at the table thoughtfully. “I am not of much use when it’s about technology.” He said hesitantly, but Tony just grinned.

“And this is not about the fact that Jane Foster is in LA?” He asked sheepishly and Thor just smiled slightly. So this really was about Jane. “It’s alright, go and meet her. Have some fun, who knows when you might see her again.”

Then Tony turned to Steve and raised his eyebrows. “You want to come with me, Cap?”

Steve grinned. “Of course.”

This time, they didn’t take the jet. The press thought that it had been a gas explosion and they didn’t want them to think otherwise. So they took Tony’s car. Even if Steve also wasn’t wearing his uniform, he had taken the shield with him. He didn’t go anywhere without it. When Tony had raised his eyebrows, Steve just grinned. “I feel safer with this. Just like you do with your sunglasses and the outfit.” He pointed at Tony’s clothes which he’d changed after the conversation with the team. Now he was wearing a light green shirt (without a tie, he had decided against it) with a black jacket (a present from Pepper) and dark blue jeans. And of course his sunglasses.

When they arrived at the former Hydra base, they both were surprised at how fast the SHIELD members had removed all the pieces of the building. “ _They have worked all night, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed them before they left the car. “ _And no one except the SHIELD members has set a foot on the ground after the explosion._ ” 

Tony exchanged a look with Steve. “So there’s no possibility that something might’ve manipulated something.” Steve said quietly.

“Except for Hydra before our attack.” Tony muttered darkly. He hoped that the computer system was just locked down and not completely destroyed. But hopefully, the SHIELD agents would have seen that.

It turned out that the computer system was working, someone had just overseen the power switch. It needed Tony’s skills to get into the system either way. Hydra had made many efforts to ensure that no one from the outside could get into their system. However, they hadn’t thought of Tony Stark. For him, it was easy to see the files. It was obvious that the system wasn’t installed for a long time. There weren’t as many secret files as they’d hoped for.

“Mostly about people on Hydra’s blacklist.” Tony muttered while he looked through some of them. He could feel Steve’s questioning look on his back, so he turned around to explain. “People that could be a threat to Hydra. Want to guess who’s on top of the list?”

Steve grimaced. “How much do they know about us?”

Tony shrugged. “What everyone knows. All the things which have been made public. Not more. JARVIS had made sure that no one can get that information.”

“You told JARVIS to hide everything about us?” Steve sounded surprised and Tony nodded. However, he didn’t turn around this time.

“Yes, it wasn’t very difficult. And I wanted to make sure that no one can bother us. Apparently, it had been a good idea. Especially after the breakdown of SHIELD. At that time, JARVIS deleted many things that would have been made public otherwise.”

“JARVIS also secured information about us before the incident with Hydra?”

“Since New York.” Tony muttered absent-mindedly.

“You did that for years?” If he wouldn’t have concentrated on the things on the screen, Tony would have loved. Steve’s surprised tone was almost ridiculous.

“Yes, that’s something I do for my friends.” Tony said simply. “And don’t say that we weren’t friends back then. We were a team. And that was enough for me to make that decision. And now would you please be silent for a few moments? I think I’ve found something interesting. Thank you.” Tony said without waiting for Steve’s answer.

After a few minutes – Tony couldn’t tell how long it had been exactly – he looked up from the screen again. Steve was sitting on a chair at the window and looked outside. “This is really interesting.” Tony said and caught Steve’s attention.

“What is it? You’ve been looking on that screen for about an hour.”

Tony grinned. “Seems like we know the locations of six more Hydra bases.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Before they left, Tony told Agent Hill that all the technical equipment of Hydra should be brought to New York. He wanted to have a closer look at it in his lab, even if he doubted that he would find something useful. Then he and Steve got in the car and drove back to Malibu.

“I’ve been thinking.” Tony said when they had nearly reached his house. “Maybe the Avengers should move to the north.”

Even if he was looking at the road, he could feel Steve’s questioning look on him. “There’s a plot of land north to New York, only about an hour with the car. I’ve bought it some time ago. I want to build something there, maybe a new base for the Avengers. With bigger training grounds and halls for all the equipment, you know that stuff.”

“You want to give up the tower?” Steve asked in disbelief.

“I won’t give it up, let’s just say that it’s unpractical. Especially if the Avengers will get more members, you know that it’s possible.”

When he glanced at Steve, he saw a thoughtful expression on his face. “And what would it be called?”

“I don’t know, I thought about something classy. Maybe the Avengers Compound, I thought we would decide that together.”

“Compound. I like it.”

Tony grinned. “Maybe it’s worth a second thought.”

After that, they kept talking about unimportant things like how the new facility could look like. Steve had many ideas and Tony liked them. Steve even thought of painting a few of the walls. Before he got to know him better, Tony would have never believed that Captain America was also an artist who loved to paint in his free time. Not that he had much of that.

In the house, everything was silent. They found Bruce in the living room, a book in his hands. Apparently, Natasha was asleep and Clint refused to leave her side. Thor had left not long after Steve and Tony. A look on the clock told them that it was 2 pm and Tony decided that it was time to get some food. “There’s this little place not far away and let me tell you that they make the best pizza you could ever dream of. JARVIS?”

“ _I will take care of the order, Sir_.” Tony grinned. He didn’t even need to ask; JARVIS knew exactly what he wanted. Steve and Bruce were smiling as well when Tony sat down on the sofa next to them. 

“What did you find at the Hydra base?” Bruce asked and put his book down on the table. In the next minutes, they told him about the computer system and how Tony found six new places where Hydra was hiding.

“Seems like lots of work.” Bruce didn’t sound very happy and Tony shrugged.

“When we’re lucky, everything will be as easy as the warehouse in Phoenix.”

Bruce didn’t look convinced. “They know that it won’t be a problem for us to get into their computer system. And so they’ll also know that we found the files of the six other locations.”

“They know that we’ll come.” Steve said slowly and Tony knew that he was already thinking of a way to defeat Hydra.

* * *

They spent the afternoon in Tony’s lab. The explosion of the building had caused damage on his suit and Steve’s gauntlets were defect as well. Since there was nothing else to do, Tony could also do useful things. Bruce was watching him while he repaired the suit and Steve was just calling Sam, probably to hear if there were news of Bucky. Thor was still gone and Tony thought that he wouldn’t show up until late in the evening. Or maybe even tomorrow? 

Time seemed to pass very fast, when JARVIS suddenly announced that there was a visitor. “ _Sir, Colonel Rhodes is at the door. Shall I let him in?_ ” He asked and Tony looked up from his work. 

“Yeah sure, tell him that we’re in the lab.”

Next to him, Steve and Bruce looked up. After Steve had ended the call with Sam, he had started to look at the locations of the Hydra bases with Bruce. Steve had looked troubled and Tony thought that Sam had bad news. But at his questioning look, Steve only had formed the word ‘Later’ with his lips and pretended that everything was alright in front of Bruce. So Tony had just nodded and continued his work.

Not long after JARVIS’ announcement, Rhodey entered the lab. He was looking tired and somehow, Tony doubted that he’d gotten much sleep after the events of the previous evening. Nevertheless, he grinned at his friend. “Hey Rhodey, what brings you here?”

Rhodey smiled at him and nodded at Steve and Bruce. “I wanted to make sure that you’re alright. You all looked really bad yesterday. How is Natasha?”

“She’ll be fine.” Bruce answered instead of Tony. “Her injuries are healing thanks to the fast treatment. She’s been sleeping nearly the entire day and Clint’s with her to keep her from doing stupid things when she’s awake. Like running around in the house.” Did Tony just imagine it, or was there a sharp tone in Bruce’s voice when he talked about Clint? But why on earth should he be jealous? Clint and Natasha were inseparable and the best friends. And Bruce… liked _Natasha_? Tony shook his head slowly to clear his mind. He was certainly imagining something here. Probably, he really needed some rest after the previous weeks and especially yesterday. 

“It was good that you came here.” Rhodey said and looked at Steve and Bruce with a frown. When he entered, they had moved in front of the screen which still showed the Hydra bases all over the world. “I am interrupting something here, right?” The question was directed at Tony and he shook his head. If he couldn’t be honest to Rhodey, whom could he trust then?

“We were back at the building in Santa Barbara today and we found something. Apparently, Hydra missed to delete the files on their computers.” Tony explained and ignored the suspicious looks on his friends’ faces. He glanced at them and just hoped that they trusted him. “There was information on the locations of six more Hydra buildings. They’re looking at it right now, to see if there’s anything useful and where we’ll start.”

Behind his back, Steve cleared his throat and Tony turned around with crossed arms. “I trust him.” He said simply. “I never kept anything from Rhodey, we don’t have secrets.”

“And if we do, we keep them together.” Rhodey added and Tony couldn’t stop the smile from appearing on his lips. “I swear that I won’t tell anyone else what I see or hear.”

Steve looked at him for a few moments, before he nodded. “Alright. If Tony trusts you, then I’ll do that too.” He stood up and held out his hand.

Rhodey took it. “Thank you, Captain.” He said when they shook hands.

“It’s Steve, Colonel Rhodes.”

“Then it’s Rhodey.”

They smiled at each other once more, before Rhodey turned to Bruce. “And for you too, Dr Banner.”

“Bruce, please.” He said with a smile. And suddenly, everything was alright. Steve and Bruce turned to the screen again and continued their discussion. Tony grinned at Rhodey.

“Maybe you’ll really be an Avenger one day.”

Rhodey shrugged. “We’ll see what the time brings.”

“You would fit into the team perfectly.” Tony said thoughtfully.

“I don’t think that the President would be happy, if Iron Patriot decided to become an Avenger.”

At that comment, Tony laughed. “You mean War Machine.”

“War Machine the Avenger. I would like the sound of that.” Now Rhodey grinned too.

Tony gestured at the others. “Come on, you want to have a look at our next missions?”

Rhodey hesitated. “I really don’t have to look at this if it might be a problem.”

“You worry too much.” Tony said and sat down on his chair next to Steve. The footsteps behind them told him, that Rhodey was coming closer slowly.

“Come on and sit down, maybe you can tell us more about this place here.” Steve muttered without looking up and pointed at a spot on the map. “It seems to be an old building complex of the US army.”

That caught Rhodey’s attention and he finally stepped closer.

* * *

They discussed the map for about an hour, before Rhodey’s phone made a beeping sound. His friend grimaced. “The government.” He muttered and looked at the message for a few moments. “Seems like there’s a mission for the Iron Patriot and it’s urgent.” He stood up. “I’m sorry that I have to leave already. And apparently, I’ll be gone for some time. Maybe we’ll see each other again in New York.”

“Good luck on your mission, Rhodey.” Steve said seriously and Rhodey’s lips twitched.

“Thank you, Steve. And good luck to you, too. You will need it, I suppose.”

Tony stood up as well. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

On their way, he told Rhodey about his conversation with Pepper in short words. At the news, his friend smiled. It was the first honest smile since he got the message. “Maybe you’ll figure it out.” Did he just imagine it or was Rhodey sounding hopeful?

Apparently, his expression told Rhodey what he was thinking. His friend held up his hands. “It’s easier for me when you two get along well. Then I don’t have to pay so much attention to what I say. And it’s really better for you, because you really look bad, Tony. And Pepper too.” To Tony’s surprise, Rhodey hugged him at the door. “Be careful.”

“You too, War Machine.” Tony said. After smiling at him for one last time, Rhodey turned around and went to his car.

After getting something to drink from the kitchen, Tony wanted to go back to his lab. However, the sound of the front door made him stop in the living room. Pepper and Happy entered the house. To his surprise, they both looked a little insecure. Was it because the Avengers were here in the house?

Happy was carrying bags and Tony realised that they had brought food. Lots of food. Suddenly, he felt guilty. With all the things that were happening at the moment, he’d totally forgotten that Steve had emptied the fridge this morning. Pepper and Happy stopped when they noticed him standing there and Tony realised that he’d been staring.

He tried to remain calm and smiled widely at them. “Why are you looking like you just broke into someone’s house?” He asked and hoped they realized that he was joking.

“It’s good to see you, Mr. Stark.” Happy said with a smile and held up the bags. “I’ll bring these into the kitchen.” At those words, he looked at Pepper. However, she didn’t even seem to notice him anymore. She was looking at Tony silently, an unreadable expression on her face.

“Hey Tony.” The words weren’t more than a whisper and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling softly.

“Good to see you, Pep.” He forced himself to stand still instead of getting closer to her. It wouldn’t be a good start if he just hugged her now; he didn’t even know if she wanted it! And a look on his hands told him that they were still covered in oil, which wouldn’t look good on her light green blouse… It had been a present of him, to her birthday last year, he realized suddenly. He cleared his throat. “How was your day?”

She blinked at him, taken aback by the sudden question. “Well, it was… good. Yes, you could say that it was good. Maybe not too good, if I think about it again…” She walked to the couch a little too fast and she was stuttering. Was she nervous?

Slowly, Tony followed her. “What happened? Are they trying to figure out a contract with another country that doesn’t even know it needs our technology yet? What was it last time? India, I think.”

Pepper looked at him in surprise. “How do you know that? The deal with India has been made three weeks ago. And the negotiations only started a week after you left.”

Tony smiled slightly. “Do you really think that I wouldn’t pay attention to such things? Too busy trying to safe the world?”

She sat down slowly. “I don’t know what I thought.” She admitted and sighed. “You were gone for so long and not hearing anything from you was… difficult. Not just with the company.”

He sat down next to her, careful to leave a distance between them. “You know that you could have called me. I would have never ignored you, Pepper.”  _But you have_ a small voice inside his head said.  _At her first and only call, when she was crying and told you how sorry she was. You ignored her_ . Suddenly, he felt guilty. Not just for saying this, but also for not calling her back… To make Rhodey tell her something had been stupid…

“Don’t.” Pepper’s soft voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re beating up yourself. I can see it from the look on your face.” She was smiling sadly now. “I understand why you didn’t call me back; I really do. I was stupid when I did it –“

“No, it wasn’t.” Tony disagreed immediately. “I’m sorry. That I ignored you.”

“But you didn’t. Rhodey told me that you always asked about me.” She was whispering now, as if she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to say those things.

“Pepper…” Tony said hesitantly and wasn’t sure how he could go on. “I’m sorry. Not just for the not calling thing. But for everything. Especially for leaving.”

She inhaled slowly. “And I’m sorry for making you leave. I think it was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Trying to change you.” Her lips twitched. “I should have known from the beginning that it would never work.”

He sighed. “I don’t want you to blame yourself for this. It was also my fault.”

With a sad expression on her face, she shook her head. “You know it’s not true. Don’t say it just to make me feel better.”

“It is true. I promised you to be more careful. And then I threw myself into the danger again without thinking about it twice. I understand that you were worried.”

“Tony, I am always worried for you. Especially when something like yesterday happens. I thought something happened to you, when I saw the look on Rhodey’s face.” It looked like she was going to cry. Tony didn’t dare to hug her, so he just decreased the distance between them.

“Hey, Pepper, look at me.” After a few moments, she did. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry.”

She inhaled shakily. “You still don’t look fine.”  _You too._ He thought, however he didn’t dare to say the words. 

“So there was a problem at SI today.” He changed the subject and Pepper relaxed a little bit.

“Yes, but it doesn’t have something to do with the new negotiations. And it’s Japan, if you want to know it. There’s been another problem, with the reactor you built. Our technicians thought that they could solve it, but they didn’t succeed yet.”

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “The earth reactor?” He asked and she nodded. They had always called it like that secretly because it used the heat coming from the earth to produce energy. “How long has it been defect?”

Pepper hesitated only for a second, but Tony noticed it either way. So the problem has been there for some time by now. “Two weeks.”

“Two weeks? Why didn’t you call me?”

“As I said, our technicians thought that they could solve it by themselves.” She repeated calmly.

“Seems like they can’t.” He muttered and was already thinking of possible problems that could appear there. “I can look at it, if you want me to.” He said suddenly and surprised himself with it.

Apparently, Pepper was surprised as well. “You would do that? Don’t you have to leave again soon?”

He shook his head. “We’ll stay for a few more days, Natasha isn’t strong enough to travel yet.”

“But she will be alright?”

Tony nodded and smiled slightly. “If Clint wouldn’t keep her calm, she would already be running through the house again.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “She should really know it better than that. After all, she’s been injured very badly and that was just yesterday.” Somehow, he thought that she didn’t just mean Natasha by that.

He tried to look guilty and the small smile on Pepper’s lips told him that he didn’t succeed. “Shall I have a look at it tomorrow? After that, I could visit Stark Industries. I haven’t been there for some time.”

“You really don’t have to do this, Tony. The technicians –“

“Will not be able to solve the problem, Pepper.” He interrupted her. “You know that they didn’t even understand how the reactor works when I first showed it to them.”

With a sigh, she nodded. “I hate it when you’re right.”

Tony grinned at her. “No, you don’t.”

His words were followed by an uncomfortable silence, which was only stopped when Pepper cleared her throat. “I could come with you tomorrow, you know. To the reactor. I wanted to speak to Ben Wilshaw either way, he’s responsible for the energy balances of the reactor.”

Tony frowned. “Has there been a problem as well?”

“It doesn’t produce as much energy as before, but I am sure that the technical defect is responsible for that.” She explained hesitantly and Tony realized that she was feeling uncomfortable.

“You should have called me, Pepper.”

“I know.”

They looked into each other’s eyes in silence for some time, both surprised by her confession.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the kitchen. Tony jumped to his feet immediately and next to him, Pepper did the same. Together, they ran into the room – just to find Happy standing in the middle of a chaos. There was food lying on the floor (mostly apples and other fruits). Apparently, the bag had been ripped open. And the sound came from a pan which had also been in the bag.

“I didn’t plan this, if that’s what you ask yourselves.” Happy said dryly while Tony and Pepper began to laugh.

“I’m so sorry, Happy. I thought that the bag would hold all those things.” Pepper apologized and already started to collect the apples from the floor. Tony also knelt down and helped her with the other things. When only an orange was left, they both wanted to take it and, in that moment, their hands touched. They both flinched and looked at their hands in silence. Until Happy cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but you’re blocking the way.” He muttered uncomfortably. Tony grabbed the orange before Pepper had a chance to do so and stood up. Then he held out his free hand. 

Pepper took it after a few seconds of hesitation and Tony tried to ignore how good it felt to finally hold her hand again. He grimaced when he noticed that her hand was covered in dust and oil now too. “I’m sorry, I didn’t –“

“It’s alright.” Pepper interrupted him and smiled shyly.

Tony smiled back at her. She walked to the sink and began to wash her hands. In the meantime, Happy had left the room, probably to get rid of the bag. “Hey Pep, we all wanted to have dinner together soon. Steve wanted to cook something, maybe you want to eat with us?”

When her hands were clean again, she turned around. “I’m sorry, Tony, but I’ve already eaten something with Happy before we got here.” He tried to hide his disappointment as good as possible, when she continued. “Maybe tomorrow?”

He must have looked very surprised since she chuckled.

“Yeah, that would be great.”

Their conversation was ended by the sound of footsteps coming closer. Tony turned around to see Steve entering the kitchen. However, he stopped when he saw Pepper. “Oh, I hope I don’t disturb you…”

They both shook their heads. “It’s alright, Steve.” Pepper said.

With a small nod, Steve turned to Tony. “We found something on the satellite recordings. JARVIS says that you might want to explain by yourself what it is.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Is it that interesting, JARVIS?” He asked loudly. Pepper was looking uncomfortable now and he winked at her. To his surprise, it worked and she relaxed slowly. There had been a time when she hadn’t minded discussions about their missions.

“ _You would call it a nine in a scale from one to ten, Sir._ ” Was the simple answer. 

Now his interest had been caught. “I’ll have a look at it.” He grinned at Steve. “But after that, it’s time for dinner.”

Steve smiled. “Good idea.” Then he turned to Pepper. “Will you also eat with us?”

She shook her head. “I’ve already eaten something, but thank you, Steve. However, I think I’ll be there tomorrow evening. And don’t forget Happy.”

“I will keep it in mind, Mrs. Potts.” Steve said politely.

“Pepper.” She corrected him.

Tony grinned at them and looked at Pepper apologetically. “I should really have a look at it.”

Steve had already turned around and left, so they were alone again.

“If you don’t look at it, you won’t be able to sit still the entire evening. And I’m tired, I should probably get some sleep.” She smiled at him. “We’ll see each other tomorrow morning?”

He nodded. “Sleep well, Pepper.” He whispered and turned around to leave as well.

“Tony?” He looked over his shoulder.

“Yes, Pepper?”

“I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Incredible.” Tony muttered and looked at the drawing in front of him more closely. “This is really a nine, JARVIS.”

“And what does that mean for us?” Steve asked patiently.

“It’s bad. Really bad.” Tony said simply and leaned back. Steve and Bruce were looking at him wide-eyed and he shrugged. “That’s the truth.”

“So what exactly is this?” Steve gestured at the drawing.

“Do you want the technical explanation or the simple one?”

“The technical.”

“Simple, please.”

Steve and Bruce looked at each other for a few moments, before they started to laugh.

Tony smiled slightly, however he wasn’t in the mood for that anymore. Not after what he’d seen now. Steve and Bruce had discovered a strange structure on the roof of one of Hydra’s facilities. JARVIS had identified it and the drawing of the machine was lying in front of them now.

“I’ll give you the simple one.” He decided and Steve smiled gratefully at him. “This can put technology of all kinds out of action.”

“What do you mean by that?” Steve asked slowly and Tony sighed.

“When you’re close to it, nothing works anymore. Communication. Electrical devices. Our jet. Your gauntlets. My suit. Clint’s exploding arrows. None of that will work anymore.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And that’s why it’s a really big problem.”

Steve looked at the drawing thoughtfully. “When it’s on the roof of that Hydra facility, then I bet that in there’s something important.”

“Most likely.” Tony agreed and ran a hand through his hair. How would they be able to fight with that thing? It was huge and Tony guessed that his suit wouldn’t work in a distance of about 500 meters from that device… And all their other things wouldn’t work as well. They wouldn’t even be able to communicate with each other.

“How is it even possible to build something like that?” Bruce asked with a frown. “A technical device that enables you to use technology?”

Tony breathed in deeply. “The idea was invented a few years ago, I’ve read an article about it. It is pretty clever, to be honest.”

“If Hydra wouldn’t have it.” Steve muttered darkly.

“Yeah, makes it much less attractive, right?” Tony tried to joke and sighed. “JARVIS, can you show Bruce the article? He explains how it works there, I bet Steve doesn’t want to hear the story.”

“I wouldn’t understand it, I think.” Steve said. “And to be honest, I don’t care how it works. I’m more interested in how we can put it off. If we can’t use anything close to it, it will be difficult. Especially when your suit doesn’t work.” Suddenly, he looked worried. “You won’t be able to fight with us, Tony.”

He groaned. “I already hate this mission. I can’t just sit around and let you go there. I would be completely useless.”

“But you can’t bring yourself in danger as well.” Steve argued. “Without the suit, it’s far too dangerous.”

Tony already wanted to argue, but Steve was right. Without his suit, he was a target for every Hydra Agent. Not too long ago, he had experienced how it was like to fight without the suit…

“I’ve got an idea.” He said slowly. “You go in there, disable the machine and once it doesn’t work anymore, I can come with my suit and help you. There’s one thing we have to keep in mind. We can’t use technology. Hydra can’t do this as well.”

Steve thought about his idea for some time, before he nodded slowly. “Could work. But we need to know everything about that place before we can make a real plan. And the others should be with us as well, we can’t decide anything without them.” He looked at the map on the screen. “What distance can that thing cover?”

“About 500 meters, I guess. JARVIS, can you encircle the area?”

“ _Yes, Sir._ ” JARVIS answered and on the screen appeared a red circle around the facility. Now Tony understood why the base was in Alaska, far away from every other living thing. Of course other people would notice the effects of the machine as well. 

“You’re sure with the distance?” Steve asked doubtfully and Tony shook his head.

“No one’s ever used such a device yet. The prototype has been very small, it could only disable technology which was very close. The distance of this one could be bigger, maybe the effect lessens the further away you are. I can’t really say it. We have to run some tests on the area first.”

Steve sighed. “Compared to this, Santa Barbara was easy.”

“You can bet on it.” Tony muttered and looked at Bruce, who was already reading the article. Maybe they could figure out how to deal with this thing together. But not now, it would need much more time. And there were five other Hydra facilities which weren’t that well-guarded.

He turned to Steve again. “Dinner?”

Steve stood up immediately.

* * *

Bruce didn’t go with then to the kitchen. He stayed in the lab to finish the article. After everything Tony told them, he wanted to understand how the device worked. So Tony and Steve were alone in the kitchen now and began to prepare dinner. Somehow, it calmed him down to help there.

“Did Sam have bad news? You looked tensed when you spoke to him.” Tony began and Steve sighed.

“Kind of. You know that he’s looking for Bucky.”

“Yes, you said he started the search a few weeks ago.” Tony nodded. “Did he find something?”

“He’s been at the Smithsonian-Museum after JARVIS had identified him there.” Steve told him. “Of course no one had noticed him there. He just looked at the exhibition. Probably to find out something about his past.” 

“Would make sense. After all, he’s forgotten everything.”

“Not everything.” Steve disagreed immediately and the hurt look on his face was back. It appeared every time he was thinking of Bucky.

“Yes, he remembered you. But Steve…” Tony hesitated, not sure how he could tell his friend that Bucky might not recognize him the next time they faced each other.

“I know that he might not know me anymore the next time.” Steve whispered. “After we’ve seen the file about the Winter Soldier, I’ve been thinking about it very much. About all the things they did to him.”

Tony swallowed. The file JARVIS had found hadn’t been easy to read. They had played with Bucky’s mind very much and according to the things written there, he was more like a killing machine than a real person.

“I just wish that I could have been there for him. That I could have saved him.”

“Stop that.” Tony said sternly. “You can’t blame yourself for this, Steve. It’s not your fault.”

“And why does it feel like it is, then?”

“Because he’s your best friend and it hurts to know what they’ve done to him. And you want to help him. No, you want to _save_ him. And you couldn’t do it in the past and months ago, you didn’t succeed as well. And that’s why you feel guilty. Even if you couldn’t even influence the events.” 

Steve sighed. “We really need to find him.”

“JARVIS is still looking for him. He’ll inform us when there are news. Right, J?”

“ _Of course I will inform you, Sir. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any signs of Sergeant Barnes’ whereabouts yet. The last time he was close to cameras was in the museum. And Mr. Wilson is already following the trace from there on. Mr. Barnes is good at hiding, which is not a surprise since he has been trained at it._ ” 

“Did you find more information about the Winter Soldier?” Steve asked now.

“ _I have found a few files which seem to have a similar content, but they are still encoded._ ” 

“I can also have a look at them, JARVIS.” Tony offered with a look at Steve. His friend smiled at him gratefully. “But try to decipher them either way, I bet you’re faster than me.”

“ _Unlikely, Sir. After all, you have programmed me._ ” JARVIS argued immediately. 

Tony rolled his eyes and Steve chuckled softly.

* * *

The next morning, Tony was nervous. He looked in the mirror again and to his surprise, he was fine with what he saw. The cut on his forehead nearly wasn’t visible anymore, thanks to Bruce’s treatment. The dark rings under his eyes would be hidden by his sunglasses and the injury on his arm couldn’t be seen under his shirt. He had decided to wear a suit, after all he was also paying a visit to Stark Industries. Tony had taken the dark grey suit with the red shirt Pepper liked so much. His hair was styled in the usual way. It was a sight he hadn’t seen in a long time. In the past weeks, he had only worn a suit for press conferences which normally didn’t last longer than a few minutes. After all, Tony was speaking for the Avengers since the others didn’t like that very much. He hadn’t been in the mood for charity events and stuff like that. When he thought about it more closely, he hadn’t even left the tower except for missions. Slowly, he started to see why the others had been worried for him.

He went downstairs to wait for Pepper and Happy at the door. The others would stay in the house to do more research about the Hydra facilities. Today, Natasha and Clint would join Steve and Bruce in the lab. Thor was still gone, probably with Jane in LA. If he didn’t show up today, they wanted to search for him tomorrow. After all, he couldn’t stay with Jane forever.

Tony was only waiting a few minutes, when he heard footsteps and Happy joined him. “Good morning, Sir.”

“Morning, Happy.” Tony said and smiled at him.

“It’s good to finally have you back. Even if it’s only for a short time.” Happy said politely.

“Yeah, it’s really good to be back.” Tony muttered. However, he didn’t pay attention to Happy anymore because Pepper was walking towards them from the living room. She was wearing black jeans and a red blouse. When Tony realised that they were wearing exactly the same colour, he chuckled. Pepper seemed to notice it at the same time since she also laughed nervously.

“Seems like we had the same thought this morning.” Tony said and she grimaced.

“It will look like we’ve planned this.”

He smiled at her. “Would that be a problem to you?”

She shook her head slowly. “When I think about it again… no, it isn’t.” There was a small smile on her lips now, which made Tony’s heart beat faster. After all this time, she still had this effect on him. “We should leave, it’ll be a long day.” Pepper said after a short pause and together, the walked to the car.

The first minutes, they just sat there in silence. Suddenly, Tony’s phone made a beeping sound. Next to him, Pepper raised her eyebrows slowly.

“What is it, JARVIS?” Tony asked without looking at his phone and put on his sunglasses. An imagine appeared in front of his eyes. Tony recognized the man immediately.

“ _This has been recorded last evening. It was uploaded this morning, so I have not been able to get it earlier._ ” JARVIS said in his ear and when Tony glanced at Pepper next to him, he saw the sceptical look on her face. Of course she knew why he was using the sunglasses now, in the car, when the sun wasn’t even shining. Did he already annoy her again? But then he looked at her more closely and realized that the look on her face wasn’t annoyance. It was _concern_.

“I need to talk to Sam Wilson.” Tony decided.

“ _I will call him, Sir._ ” Tony dropped his sunglasses again and now he could see the expression on Pepper’s face better. It was concern, he had been right. ‘Sam Wilson?’ She mouthed and he just nodded shortly. Suddenly, he realized that Pepper didn’t even know Steve’s friend. They hadn’t talked about what happened back in Washington. 

Sam answered the call after the second ring. “ _Wilson. Who’s there?_ ” 

Tony chuckled. “Not a very nice way to greet someone, Sam.”

“ _Mr. Stark_?” Sam asked in disbelief. “ _How did you get this number?_ ” 

Tony rolled his eyes, even if the other one couldn’t see it. “You should know that it isn’t a problem for me to get a phone number. And it’s Tony, I already said that to you.”

“ _I’m sorry, I was just surprised. Normally, Steve’s the only one who calls me. And after everything that happened, I really don’t want anyone else to have that number_.” Tony understood his distrust. However, he didn’t have time for it now. 

“Look, Sam. I’m sorry that I called you, but Steve’s busy at the moment. And I’ve got news about our long-lost friend.” Sam would know that he meant Bucky.

“ _Where is he?_ ” Sam asked immediately, sounding serious. 

“He was seen yesterday evening. Have you been in Detroit before?”

“ _What is he doing in Detroit?_ ” Sam asked in disbelief and groaned. Tony could already imagine the look on his face. 

“Heading north.” Tony said simply.

“ _I’ll follow him._ ” Now Sam was sounding serious again and Tony knew that he understood what he meant. Bucky was looking for places of his past. And Hydra had always dealt with projects like that in the north. 

Tony told him the address where JARVIS had identified Bucky and then they ended the call. Of course Tony had to promise Sam that he would tell Steve about this. A promise that was easy to make, he wanted to tell his friend about this either way.

“Who was that?” Pepper asked slowly. She sounded insecure, as if she didn’t know if he would answer her question.

“A friend of Steve. We met some time ago.” Tony explained. “He’s looking for someone and I’m helping him with this.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows.

“It’s a rather long story.” Tony said apologetically. “And to be honest, it’s not mine to tell. You’ll have to ask Steve about this.”

She was looking at him in silence for a few seconds, before she nodded slowly.

“Why are you looking at me like this?” Tony asked.

“How am I looking at you?” Pepper asked curiously.

“Like you’re surprised.”

First, it looked like she wanted to disagree. But then she just sighed. “It’s nothing. I just didn’t expect you to help Steve with a personal issue.”

“Why not? He’s my best friend next to Rhodey.” Tony said simply and now Pepper looked even more surprised.

“I’ve missed very much in those past weeks, didn’t I?” She asked slowly.

Tony knew that she was right about this. A few years ago in New York, Tony and Steve hadn’t been the best friends. And now they were getting along very well. All those things with Bucky and Pepper made them stick together. And once he got to know him better, Tony had realized that he really liked Steve Rogers. And to his surprise, Steve seemed to like him as well.

“Let’s just say that a few events made us realize how stupid it had been to act like rivals of some kind. I like Steve.” Tony shrugged. “And we’re getting along very well. Seems like we’re the leaders of the Avengers now. Together. Something I would’ve never imagined.”

Pepper smiled at his words. “I’m happy for you, Tony.”

“We’re all getting along well.” He said with a shrug.

Just in this moment, his phone rang again. Tony cursed and when he looked at the screen, he saw that it was a call from Maria Hill. He groaned. “Why can’t I get a few moments of peace?” He looked apologetically at Pepper. “I should probably answer this. Otherwise, she won’t stop calling the entire day. And that’s something no one wants. JARVIS, accept the call.”

“ _We have started to transport everything to New York._ ” Maria Hill said without greeting him again. 

“When will it arrive there?” Tony asked and this time, he also didn’t say hello.

“ _About a week, we have found many things._ ” 

“And you called just to tell me this?” Tony asked in disbelief.

“ _That and the local police has arrived in Santa Barbara. They didn’t want to wait any longer. Since we have removed all traces of Hydra, no one will get suspicious. It has just been a gas explosion._ ” 

“Very good, Agent Hill.” Tony said slowly. “Once you’re back in New York, you can return to your duties. I don’t know when I will be back, but it won’t be a problem. I don’t need my assistant here. You can do your own stuff until then.” Without waiting for an answer, he ended the call.

Tony sighed. “Sometimes, I would really like to turn the phone off. And everything else too.” He muttered and saw that Pepper was sitting there with crossed arms now.

“I’ve already been wondering why Maria Hill is your assistant now. And why you employed about fifty new people, who don’t even do anything for Stark Industries. They’re registered in the tower and have official duties, but they don’t seem to do anything.” This time, she was really sounding annoyed. “When I’m running the company for you, I have to know such things. You can’t just sign their contracts and not tell me about it. This is not how it works, Tony.”

He sighed. “It was urgent.”

“The phone call you got on the evening you left Malibu.” She guessed.

“That’s right.” He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

“Rhodey refused to tell me what’s going on.” Pepper muttered. “Just that I should trust you and that you know what you’re doing.”

“And that’s the truth.” Tony opened his eyes and looked at her. “I don’t want you to get involved in this, Pep. It’s already dangerous enough.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I know what’s going on?” The frustration in her voice was evident. Apparently, she had thought about this more than once in the past weeks.

Tony hesitated. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Pep.”

His words seemed to take her by surprise. Her eyes grew wide and now she looked incredibly sad. “And what about you?”

Tony frowned in confusion. “What about me?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt as well.”

He smiled softly. “There’s no other way, Pepper.”

She sighed. “I know. I see it now.”

He thought about everything for a few moments. “Alright, I’ll tell you everything. But when we’re alone and not in a car, alright?”

She looked at him through narrowed eyes for a few moments, before she finally nodded. “I’ll remind you of that.”

Suddenly, the car stopped. “We’ve arrived at the reactor.” Happy announced and Tony wondered how fast the time had passed.

* * *

When they entered the building with the reactor, a young man was walking towards them. He had dark hair and grey eyes. Tony suspected that the simple black suit he was wearing had been expensive and his shoes were polished and shining. And of course he was wearing a tie, in green. 

Tony was walking behind Pepper, so the man didn’t notice him at first. He smiled at Pepper brightly. “Mrs. Potts, it’s a pleasure to see you again!” He held out his hand to Pepper and she took it.

“It’s good to see you, Mr. Wilshaw.” Pepper said politely and Tony noticed that this wasn’t her business voice. It was too nice for that, her tone too warm. So this was Ben Wilshaw. And apparently, Pepper liked him. That’s why she wanted to come with him and talk to the man herself instead of calling. Tony was surprised by the bad feeling in his stomach.

“I haven’t expected you here.” Wilshaw still hadn’t noticed Tony. “You didn’t have to come all the way here; we could have talked about the statistics on the phone as well. I don’t want to waste your precious time, Mrs. Potts.”

Pepper made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “It was not a problem to come here.” She said with a smile. “We also wanted to have a look at the reactor.”

At that, the smile on Wilshaw’s lips faded slowly and he frowned. “But our technicians are already looking at it, Pepper. I told you that last week.”

Tony didn’t trust his ears. Did he just call her  _Pepper_ ? Like, personally? Apparently, they knew each other better than just out of business. Or didn’t they? Pepper was friendly to everyone and there were a few people at SI she was calling with their first names. But this guy? 

“I know, Ben. But it takes too much time, we’re making losses when the reactor doesn’t work. It is bad enough that the energy it produces seems to vanish.” She was calling him with his first name too…

“And you want to look at the reactor? Please don’t be offended, but despite all your abilities I don’t think that you understand much of this? Even the scientists here still have their problems to understand what Mr. Stark did.” Wilshaw’s tone was doubtful now.

Tony decided that he had seen enough. The role of the silent observer didn’t really suit him. He took a step forward and was standing next to Pepper now. He smiled at the man widely, his usual Tony fuckin’ Stark grin, as the Avengers liked to call it. “That would be the reason why I am here.” He said politely and he watched with satisfaction that Wilshaw paled when he realized who was standing in front of him. His smile and the self-confident expression vanished from his face and were replaced by a nervous look. His eyes flickered to Pepper again, but she was just smiling at him politely.

“Mr. Stark, what a pleasure to see you!” At that, Tony raised an eyebrow. Did he greet everyone like this? “We haven’t seen you here since the commissioning of the reactor last year.”

“Mr. Stark offered to look at the reactor when I told him about the problems. And I decided to accompany him. Then I can also look at the files personally. It will be easier than having you send them all to me.” Pepper was still smiling at the man and at her friendly tone, he slowly started to relax. Even if he still was looking nervous.

Tony looked around slowly, truly aware of the effect it had on Wilshaw and the other employees who were walking past them. Somehow, he had another image of the building in mind. Hadn’t it been lighter in here when he built the reactor? A look at the windows told him that he was right, there were new roller blinds. And more plants. He turned to Wilshaw again and saw that Pepper was watching him as well. And for half a second, there was that small smile on her lips which appeared every time she was studying him closely. He never understood what exactly she saw in him that made her smile like this.

“It looks good in here, different. You’ve redecorated.” Tony said to Wilshaw and pointed at the plants that were standing next to a few armchairs. “However, I still have to convince myself of the manners here.” At those words, Wilshaw tensed again.

Tony ignored it and turned to Pepper. “I’ll have a look at the reactor. I will join you soon, I don’t think that it will take much time.”

She nodded with a smile. “Alright, have fun.”

At her comment, which was accompanied by a slight smile, Tony grinned. “I always do. And you find the mistake in the papers!” At his threatening sound, Wilshaw paled again. However, Pepper rolled her eyes. After all, she knew when he was joking.

Tony turned around and walked towards the reactor room. Everywhere around him, people were stopping with what they were doing at looked at him wide-eyed. He should really leave his house more often. Ignoring the surprised looks, Tony put on his sunglasses. “JARVIS, I want you to scan the reactor. And all the connected lines. Oh, and can you find out what Pepper and that Wilshaw guy are saying? I don’t trust him.”

“ _Because he shows interest in Mrs. Potts?_ ” JARVIS asked politely as usual. “ _Or because he showed many nervous signs when the conversation turned to the defect reactor and the mistakes in the energy balances?_ ” 

“Both.” Tony muttered.

When he entered the reactor room, he saw five men in overalls standing in front of the control panel. Apparently, they were the technicians. Tony thought that he remembered at least two of them from the day he had introduced the reactor.

When they heard his footsteps, one of the men turned around. “I’m sorry, but no one is allowed to enter this room except for Mr. Wilshaw and the employed scientists.”

Tony held out his hands. “And what about the person who built this reactor?” He asked loudly and all the scientists turned around immediately. If he wouldn’t have been suspicious already, Tony would have laughed at the looks on their faces which showed pure surprise and confusion.

“Mr. Stark!” A man who was about sixty years old stepped forward, next to the one who had noticed him at first. “We didn’t expect you to come here! I’m sorry for Mark’s behaviour, he is still new. Of course you are allowed to be here too.” The smile seemed to be faked, but Tony ignored it. He walked to the man and shook his hand.

“No problem, at least no one threw me out.” He pointed at the reactor. “And what exactly is the problem there? Mrs. Potts told me that it produces not enough energy and that the capacity decreased with the time.” Which shouldn’t be possible, Tony had taken every security measure to prevent that. Naturally, there could me more problems than with the Arc Reactor because Tony had already perfected the technology, but something like this shouldn’t happen.

The man nodded. “That’s true. We haven’t been able to find the mistake yet.”

Tony smiled. “I’ll have a look at it. You can go now; I can handle it.”

The men exchanged looks and Tony raised his eyebrows. “Anything I should know?”

The man who had spoken cleared his throat. “No, Mr. Stark. We will leave, you just surprised us. We thought that we could watch while you repaired it. Since we couldn’t find the technical mistake.”

Tony kept smiling. “I’ll inform you about it once it’s repaired.”

He watched the men walking away with narrowed eyes. They looked over their shoulders more than once and now Tony was really suspicious. When the door closed behind them, Tony turned around. “JARVIS, tell Happy that no one leaves this building before I say so. He should guard the door. And lock all the emergency exits.”

“ _Yes, Sir._ ” JARVIS said and Tony nodded when the sign of the emergency exit turned from green to red. So they were locked now. “ _Mr. Hogan watches the entrance and will not let anyone leave._ ” He added half a minute later. 

“That’s good. And now let us have a look at the reactor.”

* * *

Ten minutes later, Tony was walking towards Wilshaw’s office. It hadn’t been difficult to find the spot where they’d manipulated the reactor. Now it was working and the electric meter was back to normal, which meant that all the produced energy would appear on the SI reports again. Tony also made sure that something like this couldn’t happen again.

When he walked through the entrance hall, he saw the scientists sitting on the armchairs. Some of them were looking at the doors nervously, while others watched the events in the building. When they noticed him, they began to whisper to each other. Tony decided to ignore this. When he passed the entrance, he saw Happy standing in the middle of the door with crossed arms. Tony nodded when Happy saw him and held his thumbs up. A few other employees were standing close to the doors and looked at Tony anxiously.

“Mr. Stark, may I ask what’s going on?” A young woman asked and Tony smiled at her.

“Everything is alright, this is just a security measure. I will talk to Mr. Wilshaw and then you will be able to leave the building again. I apologize for the inconveniences.” At his words, the people in front of him relaxed. “Why don’t you go to the cafeteria until the problem is solved? I heard that they have excellent coffee there.” He winked at the woman, who blushed, and watched them heading towards the stairs. When they were gone, he relaxed a little more. He didn’t want innocent people to be in the middle of this.

“JARVIS, I want to hear them.” He muttered and headed towards the office. As soon as he’d finished his request, he began to hear the voices of Pepper and Wilshaw.

“ _Why can’t you just say yes, Pepper? I’ve asked you more than once if you want to go out with me. And you always change the subject instead of giving me an answer._ ” Tony began to walk faster. 

“ _I have told you before that I am already in a relationship._ ” Pepper replied immediately. She sounded distracted and Tony assumed that she was looking through the files. Just that she wouldn’t find anything there. However, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling when she mentioned their relationship. So he still meant something to her, after everything they’ve been through. 

“ _Can you even call it a relationship when the other one’s never there and makes you feel miserable? The first time I saw you at Stark Industries, you didn’t look good. It was because of him, I know it. Even if you refused to talk about it. Why don’t you see that playing an Avenger is more important to him? And if I think about it again, even more important to him is himself. Because he’s selfish. Or do you think he does the whole Iron Man business because of anything else than fame?_ ” There was a pause and Tony was nearly running now. Why did the office have to be on the other end of the building? “ _I could make you happy, Pepper. I would be there for you and not just vanish like him._ ” 

“ _I forbid you to talk about him like this!_ ” Pepper was sounding angry now and there was the sound of something falling to the ground. Probably a big file. “ _Tony Stark is the most selfless, caring man in this world. And yes, we had an argument. But it’s settled now. He’s the only one for me. So no, you could not make me happy. I thought you were nice, when we first met. But now I’ve changed my mind. And it’s Mrs. Potts._ ” 

Tony’s heart was beating fast in his chest. She was defending him!  _He’s the only one for me._ Did that mean that she still loved him? Finally, he arrived in front of the office. He opened the door without knocking and decided to act as if he hadn’t heard their conversation. Pepper would be angry with him if she knew. 

“I’ve solved the problem at the reactor.” Tony announced and looked at the scene in front of him. Pepper was standing in front of the desk, her arms crossed. A few of the files were lying on the floor, the rest was open on the table. Wilshaw sat on the other side in his armchair. Apparently, Pepper stood up in her anger. Tony closed the door behind him and looked at Pepper carefully. “Did I miss something?”

She groaned in frustration. “No, we just had a small argument, but it’s settled now and everything’s fine.” Something in his face seemed to alert her since she tensed and a concerned look appeared on her face. “Is everything alright?”

Tony walked towards the desk slowly and leaned on one of the chairs. He didn’t want to sit down and be eye to eye with Wilshaw. “The error at the reactor was very interesting.” Tony explained and looked from Pepper to Wilshaw and back. He had positioned himself between him and the door. “Because it wasn’t an error at all. The reactor has been producing energy the whole time with its full capacity. There has never been a decrease. It had been programmed.”

Pepper’s eyes widened. “You mean the reactor has been manipulated?”

Tony nodded. “Exactly. By our own scientists.”

Pepper stared at him. “They have been faking an error for weeks?”

“And it was an order of our dear Mr. Wilshaw. The program update has been made on your name.” The last sentence was directed at the man who was still sitting there and watched them.

“And how can you prove this?” The tone of his voice was calm, but Tony could hear the anger beneath it.

“Haven’t I mentioned that JARVIS is able to look through all the systems? And of course he can also save data.” He smiled slightly. “Maybe I have forgotten that.”

“You haven’t.” Pepper said to his surprise. “You told it Mr. Kingsley, the predecessor of Mr. Wilshaw. And apparently, he forgot to pass the information on.”

Tony smiled and held up his hands. “I have mentioned it.” He shrugged. “I doubt that the information would have stopped you.”

Slowly, Wilshaw stood up. “You think you are very clever, Mr. Stark. What you don’t see is that you deplete all those who work for you.” Then he looked at Pepper. “Or you break their hearts.” Suddenly, the man jumped over the desk and showed Pepper to the ground with so much force that the shelf on the wall fell down on her. She cried in surprise and Tony was by her side immediately, pulling the shelf up. Pepper moved forward and looked up at him. “Go, follow him. I’m fine.” Tony nodded and left the office as fast as possible.

“JARVIS, I need to know where he is. And tell Happy to keep his eyes open!” He ran through the corridors towards the entrance hall as fast as possible. When he moved around the last corner between him and the entrance, he saw Wilshaw again. He had nearly reached the door. His scientists were still sitting on the armchairs, looking too scared to move. Tony hoped that it would stay this way. “JARVIS, lock the entrance door.” Tony panted while he ran and hoped that Happy didn’t mind being locked out. Nevertheless, one barrier more could always be useful. In this moment, Tony was really glad that he’d taken his latest invention with him. It looked like a small bracelet, but actually it was a part of his suit. The glove. Sadly, the suit in the Arc Reactor wasn’t finished yet. He had started working on it about a month ago. He was always carrying the Arc Reactor with him and it would be far more practical not to call the suit every time he needed it. Then it would be always with him.

When Wilshaw reached the door, he saw Happy standing outside of it. He turned to the right, probably to run towards one of the emergency exits. However, those few seconds of hesitation were everything Tony needed. He threw himself at Wilshaw and pressed him to the ground. At the same time, his glove appeared around his hand and he let it glow in a dangerous light. His injured arm was hurting like hell in this moment, but he ignored it. This man had not just betrayed his company. He had also flirted with Pepper and insulted him.

“If I were you, I would not move now.” Tony whispered into his ear and gave JARVIS the sign to open the entrance door again.

Happy stormed in immediately, his gun in his hands. With his free hand, Tony pointed at the scientists. “Those men will not leave this building!”

“Understood, Sir.” Happy said and moved towards the scientists immediately, his gun pointing at them. “To the ground, all of you. If anyone tries to escape, I’ll shoot!”

All around them, people were looking at them anxiously. However, no one dared to move towards the door. Probably because Tony and Wilshaw were blocking the way. Tony was still sitting on his back and held out his armed hand.

Tony breathed in deeply and looked at the people around him. “Everything is alright, there is no need for you to panic!” He said loudly. “No one will harm you; I just had a small argument with Mr. Wilshaw and his scientists. Tomorrow, everything will be normal again.” His gaze fell on a man who was standing closer to them than the others. Tony recognized him as the assistant of Mr. Kingsley who had run this facility before Wilshaw. “You, what’s your name?” Tony asked him with a smile. He ignored the movements of Wilshaw under him. JARVIS had announced that the police would be here in a few minutes.

“Brian Wilbur.” The man said slowly, however his voice wasn’t shaking.

Tony smiled widely. “Congratulations, Mr. Wilbur. You’ve just been promoted. Tomorrow will be your first day as the leader of the Stark Industries clean energy project 2A.1C.” He didn’t really know why Pepper had called the earth reactor like this. Probably because the Arc Reactor was the project 1A.3C (he’d made some changes at it in the past years, that’s why it was already number three). The energy projects outside of California had different names.

Brian Wilbur was still stuttering words of thanks when Tony heard footsteps behind him. A look over his shoulder told him that Pepper had arrived. She was still looking a bit confused, but alright. After years with Tony, nothing could make her lose her composure that easily anymore.

At the same time, the entrance doors opened and armed police employees entered the building. The officer in front of them nodded. “Mr. Stark, you have asked for support concerning a case of betrayal in your company. I see you have already caught the persons responsible for this.” He pointed at Wilshaw, who was still lying under Tony and the scientists on the ground, watched by Happy.

Tony nodded. “We were just able to catch them.” He stood up slowly when the police officer knelt down next to Wilshaw with handcuffs. While standing up, Tony didn’t just feel the pain in his arm but in his back as well. He inhaled sharply and hoped that his expression remained calm. Suddenly, there was a light touch on his good arm and he saw Pepper standing next to him, looking concerned.

“Are you alright?” She asked quietly and he nodded.

“I’ll need to sit down for a while before we go to Stark Industries.”

Pepper looked at the chaos around them. “How does lunch sound to you?” She asked slowly.

He smiled gratefully. “Brilliant idea, Pep.”

At her nickname, Pepper’s lips twitched.

They talked to the police officer once more and Pepper agreed to meet them tomorrow to talk about the betrayal. Wilshaw and the scientists would be locked away until the whole business was enlightened. Tony wanted to go with Pepper, but she had just shaken her head. “You’ve got more important things to do.” She had whispered into his ear so that no one else could hear it. With a sigh, he had agreed. But maybe, just maybe he’d go with her either way.

When they finally left the building, the earth reactor project had a new leader. Tony and Pepper had briefed him shortly about his new duties. However, he’d been the assistant of Mr. Kingsley and he knew what had to be done.

After that, they had said a few encouraging words to the other employees. They didn’t want them to be afraid of more events like this at work.

When they were finally in the car, both Tony and Pepper sighed.

“Why does everything has to be this unsettling when you’re with me?” Pepper asked and Tony shrugged. Bad idea with his arm and back.

“This was my fault, if I would have paid more attention to the project, something like this could have never happened.” Tony muttered darkly.

“Don’t blame yourself. You were busy in New York. You can’t have a look on all the processes in your company all the time, Tony.” Pepper said in a soft tone.

He smiled slightly. “I’ll tell you what we’ve been doing as soon as we’re alone again.”

To his surprise, she smiled at him shyly. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to.” Tony said immediately.

After a few seconds of silence, Pepper finally nodded. “Thank you.”

He frowned. “For what?”

“For trusting me again.”

At that, he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. “I’ve always trusted you, Pep. It was all just for your safety.”

Suddenly, Happy cleared his throat. “You can go on with your conversation after you’ve told me where we’ll go next. Stark Industries?” He looked at them over his shoulder.

“No, not yet.” Pepper said quickly. “He’s already scared one building full of Stark Industries employees to death today. We’ll have lunch first, Happy. After that, Tony can continue scaring people with his mere presence.”

At her mischievous grin, Tony started to laugh. A few seconds later, Pepper joined him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo slowly, the really exciting things in this story are beginning! Like Bucky and the Hydra base. And many challenges for Tony and Pepper! However, there are other chapters first. As I said, the next chapter I'll write will be 72. 
> 
> How did you like this one? Please let me know! If I'd know that someone enjoys reading it, I'd post the new chapters sooner!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The visit at Stark Industries was uneventful. However, Tony didn’t mind that after the previous days and hours. He earned many surprised looks when he walked through the company next to Pepper. He hadn’t been there for a long time and his visit hadn’t been announced. Nevertheless, he was always greeted friendly and some of his employees even asked how he was. That surprised him, normally they didn’t care about his personal issues.

At that, Pepper just rolled her eyes. “You’re a hero. Not just here in the company, but in the whole world.” All the same, it didn’t explain the sudden friendliness of the people who were working for him. After some time, Tony decided just to accept it and let it be.

When they finally left the building, it was four pm. Tony looked at Pepper questioningly. “How does an afternoon at the beach sound to you?” He asked and Pepper raised her eyebrows.

“It’s autumn.” She said simply and he sighed.

“I thought it would be better than to talk in a house full of Avengers. Who are still discussing tactics and stuff, JARVIS keeps me updated every hour.”

Slowly, Pepper nodded. “But I’ll have to change first, when I’m walking in the sand with this shoes, I’m going to break my foot or something like that.” She gestured at her high heels and Tony grinned.

“I could carry you.”

“No way, Mr. Stark.” She argued immediately and smiled slightly. “Then we would both be lying in the sand and I don’t think that it would be a pleasant experience.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

It seemed as if she wanted to hit him on the arm playfully, however Pepper stopped herself in the last moment. Her eyes grew wide and she turned away from him to look out of the window.

“Hey Pepper, I’m fine.” He reminded her softly.

“You don’t look fine. And you’re hurt. Not just your arm, that stupid jump this morning made it even worse.” He could hear the accusation behind that.

“It was the only way to get hold of him.” He muttered.

“Being careful looks different.” Pepper said simply and Tony sighed.

“I know. But it was the right thing to do and you know that.”

“I do.” He wasn’t sure if he’d heard it right. After that, they spent the rest of the drive to Malibu in silence.

Back in the house, Tony changed his clothes. A walk on the beach in a suit didn’t sound appealing, Pepper had been right about that. So he chose a jeans and a grey t shirt instead, together with his black jacket. When he came to the living room again, he saw that Pepper was still gone. However, someone else was there.

“JARVIS told us that you returned.” Steve said and smiled at Tony. However, the smile vanished when he looked at him closer. “What happened? You look like you’re in pain.”

Tony grinned at Steve. “Just the chef of my new reactor betraying the company, you know that stuff.” He shrugged. “I dealt with the situation and now the problem’s solved.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Will you tell me the whole story?”

Tony nodded. “But not now, I’ll go outside with Pepper. I want to tell her everything that happened in those past weeks.”

Steve nodded. “It’s good that you’re finally talking to each other again.”

Suddenly, something else came to Tony’s mind. He took a step closer to Steve. “Your friend has been seen yesterday evening. JARVIS got the camera record this morning.”

Steve’s eyes widened in surprise. “You mean Bucky? Where is he?”

“Detroit. Moving to the north, as far as I could guess.”

Steve began to search for his phone in his pocket hectically. “I need to tell Sam about this.”

“I already did that.” Tony interrupted him quickly. “And he’s on it.”

Slowly, Steve relaxed again. “I hope he’ll find him. Did you tell him that he should not face Bucky alone?”

“You’ve told him that about two thousand times by now, Steve. I think Sam knows it.” Tony wanted to roll his eyes, but he stopped himself in the last moment. He had to support Steve with this.

Steve frowned and Tony could nearly see his mind working. “Detroit. And from there to the north… My god, Bucky. Where are you heading for?”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Moments later, Pepper entered the room. She was also wearing jeans, trainers and a jacket now. When she saw Steve, she smiled. “Hello Steve, I hope you had a good day.”

Steve smiled back at her. “Exhausting fits better. Discussions of plans and tactics are never nice. Especially when we don’t know enough of our targets yet. And two members of the team are missing so that we can’t make any decisions.” At that, he looked at Tony, who frowned.

“Two? You mean Thor hasn’t returned yet?”

Steve shook his head. “No, he’s still gone. We should probably try to contact him tomorrow.”

Tony nodded thoughtfully and turned to Pepper. “Jane Foster is in LA.” He explained at the questioning look on her face. Slowly, understanding appeared on her face and she smiled.

“I bet he is very happy to see her again.”

Tony nodded. “He left once it was decided that we’ll stay here for a few days.” Right after he said the words, he already regretted them. At the mentioning of a few days, Pepper’s expression darkened and disappointment showed itself for a few seconds. However, she was able to control herself again very fast.

“Should we go outside?” She asked and tried to sound happy. “After all, we don’t want to miss dinner.”

Tony nodded. “Then let’s go. See you soon, Steve. And try not to kill each other while I’m gone.” When Steve grimaced, Tony just grinned.

* * *

“So what happened after you got that call? On the day you left?” Pepper asked once they arrived at the beach close to the house. “You looked really troubled.”

“It was Maria Hill. There’s been an incident at SHIELD, like a very big one.” Tony explained. “They’ve been infiltrated by Hydra.”

Pepper stared at him wide-eyed. “Hydra? But weren’t they defeated all those years ago?”

“That’s what everyone thought. You know, my dad, Agent Carter and all those others.” He continued slowly and looked at the ocean. He had really missed this. Of course living in a city was great, but Tony had always loved the ocean. “Turns out that Hydra had its people in the rows of SHIELD for nearly eighty years and no one noticed it.”

“How is that possible?”

So he explained the entire story to her. Everything he had read in those files and the additional information he got from Steve, Natasha and Agent Hill. About Project Inside and the Helicarriers. And he mentioned the Winter Soldier.

“With him, it’s a difficult story.” Tony said hesitantly. “Actually, Steve should tell you this. But he said it’s okay if I tell you everything.”

Pepper frowned but remained silent.

“His real name is James Buchanan Barnes. Also called ‘Bucky’.” Pepper seemed to know that name, because now an alerted look appeared on her face.

“Wasn’t he Steve’s best friend back in the war and before that?” She asked slowly and Tony nodded. “How can he still be alive?”

“How can Steve still be alive after all this time?” Tony asked back. “The project is called ‘Winter Soldier’, that’s also why he’s called that. We were able to find out more about it and it’s not pretty. Let’s just say that they’ve messed with his mind and he doesn’t even recognize Steve anymore. He’s a killing machine Hydra can use for whatever they want. It’s like they can program his mind. And when he was not needed, they’ve frozen him.”

“That’s terrible.” Pepper whispered.

Tony nodded. “During their fight, he recognized Steve somehow. He escaped after that and no one’s been able to find him. Until this morning, when JARVIS identified him on a record in Detroit.”

“You said Sam Wilson helped Steve and Natasha with this. And you called him this morning. Was it because of Bucky?”

“Yes, Sam’s looking for him and we’re helping him to get information. Once he’s found Bucky, Steve and I will join him. What happens then, I cannot say. No one knows how Barnes will react when he sees Steve again.” He shrugged and grimaced at the pain in his back and arm.

Pepper was looking at him through narrowed eyes now. “It’s a dangerous game you’re playing there, Tony. He nearly killed Steve.” He could hear the worry in her voice.

“Steve was fighting him alone and he didn’t defend himself.” Tony corrected her. “I’m sure that the three of us can deal with him.”

“Do the others know about this?”

“Just Natasha.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows.

“Steve doesn’t want the others to know about it yet.”

“He told you about it.” Pepper argued.

“That’s different. I already knew about Bucky from the SHIELD files.” Tony explained.

To his surprise, Pepper shook her head. “It’s not just that. Steve didn’t have to tell you that they’re looking for Bucky. I think he really likes you, Tony.” At the last words, her voice softened.

Tony smiled slightly. “And I like him. Strange, isn’t it? The first time we met, we could barely stand each other.”

“And now you’re best friends and lead the Avengers together.” Pepper summarised.

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Looks like it, doesn’t it?” Pepper was still looking at him with the thoughtful expression on her face, which made Tony feel uncomfortable. “Why are you looking at me like this?”

“You’re changing, Tony.” Pepper muttered quietly. “After all those events last year, with the Mandarin and the Extremis… You’ve changed a lot. And you’re still changing.” She smiled slightly. “The selfish, ignorant man who’d given a damn about what others think is gone.”

Tony looked at her questioningly. “And is that a bad thing?” Had he really changed that much? Well, if he thought about it again, yes. He saw many things differently now.

Pepper shook her head and took a step towards him. Now there was only a short distance between them. “No, it’s not bad at all.” She smiled softly. “I like the new Tony Stark.”

He chuckled nervously. “All his flaws and bad habits included?”

“Maybe even that.” Pepper muttered and he smiled at her. Suddenly, an image came to his mind. Ben Wilshaw, asking Pepper to go out with him. She had said no, because of Tony. Then another image appeared. Pepper with a faceless man, living a carefree life. Without all the worry and trouble she had to face now. Maybe they even had children… Something that seemed impossible for Tony. Did he really want to raise children when there were so many people in the world who wanted to hurt him? And his family?

“Tony?” Pepper’s voice took him back to reality and he blinked to make the images disappear. “Is everything alright? You had that far away look on your face…”

Tony shook his head and took a step back. The hurt look on Pepper’s face nearly made his heart break. “I’m sorry, I’ve just been lost in thoughts for a moment…” Without thinking about it, he stepped forward again and took her hands.

They both stared at their entwined hands for a few moments, before Tony cleared his throat. “Pepper, you know I love you.” He began and her eyes widened. “More than anything, to be honest. And I have already said this, I know, but I am really sorry for what happened. Not just the events a few weeks ago, but everything. I’m sorry for constantly worrying you and putting you in danger. I want you to be happy, Pep. And it kills me to know that I’m not able to do that. I want you to have a good life and not a chaos like this.” He was talking faster now, wanting to get the words out before he lost the courage. He laughed dryly. “Because that’s what it is with me. A chaos. And it will always be. There will be no calm, settled life. A daily routine. Something like bringing the kids to school at morning, going to work and have a good evening with the family. And that’s what I want you to have. I’ll always bring myself in danger, again and again. Because that’s what Iron Man does. What  _I_ do. And I won’t say I don’t love it, because god, I do. But I don’t want you to carry the consequences of all this. I see that it’s not easy for you. It has never been easy.” During his speech, a sad look had appeared on Pepper’s face. “I’m sorry.” He whispered again. 

Slowly, Pepper let go of his hand and touched his cheek. Before doing it, she hesitated a few seconds and looked at him with a searching expression on her face.

At the contact, Tony closed his eyes. He was afraid that she might leave him, but all he’d said was true. He wanted her to be happy. And could she really be happy with him?

“You are too hard on yourself.” Pepper whispered now and Tony opened his eyes. She was smiling, but the sad look in her eyes remained. “Yes, a life with you is chaotic. And infuriating, sometimes. And yes, I’m constantly worried. But you’re just focusing on the bad things. I have never been happier than with you. And I know that no one else will ever make me happy again. Because I love you, Tony. I’ve always loved you. Even before Afghanistan, when you were my crazy, selfish boss with not a single care in the world.” She smiled at the memory and Tony chuckled. He’d been an ass back then; he saw that now. “And ever since you came back and became Iron Man, I’ve loved you even more. Every single day. I have been foolish to think that I could take that away from you. Iron Man’s a part of you, I already told you that I understand it now. I’ve just been so scared, after everything that happened. Scared that I will lose you one day. I already thought I lost you, after the house’s been destroyed. And I can’t stand it again.” Tears were running down her cheeks now and Tony hated to see her cry. He wiped away the tears with his hand and Pepper chuckled. Nevertheless, she continued to cry. “That’s why I’ve been so mean to you all the time. I wanted to protect myself, I think. From the reality that I’m going to lose you one day.”

Tony wrapped his arms around her und held her close to his chest. “It’s alright, Pepper. I’m here, and I’ll never leave you. And nothing will happen to me, I promise.” He held her while she was crying and inhaled her scent. He’d missed her so much. Being able to hold her again made his heart skip a beat.

After what felt like hours, she let go of him and took a step back. Now they were able to look at each other again. Pepper’s eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were wet with tears. Her hair was a mess because of the wind, but to Tony she’d never looked more beautiful. “My Pepper.” He whispered and now he touched her cheek lightly, afraid that she might not want this. However, his fears had been unjustified. As soon as they made skin to skin contact, Pepper closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. 

“Don’t you ever say again that you’re not good enough for me.” She muttered and he raised his eyebrows in surprise at her threatening tone. “Did the thought that I don’t want a normal life ever cross your mind?” She opened her eyes again. “I want this, Tony. With you. All the chaos, the danger, the life with the Avengers. I want _you_ , Anthony Stark. I love you.” 

At her words, he breathed in shakily. “I love you too. It’ll always be you.” He whispered and without thinking too much about it, he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a short kiss which only lasted a few seconds, barely more than a touch of their lips. Nevertheless, they both smiled at each other after it. Tony wrapped his arms around her again and buried his face in her neck. “I’ve missed you, Pep.”

“I missed you too. “ Pepper whispered. “I really wanted to be angry with you, after everything that happened. I mean, you just left without telling me anything. But I can’t be mad at you. Probably because this whole disaster was my fault.”

“Nope, I don’t agree with you.” Tony muttered without looking up.

“I know. Let’s not discuss this anymore. We’re past it, right?” At the last sentence, she sounded insecure again. Tony lifted his head and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. It made him sad to see doubts there.

“Pepper, you know that I can’t be angry with you. And I understand why you did all those things. So it’s fine.”

She looked at him for a few more moments, before she finally nodded. “Alright.”

He grinned. “It’s good to have you back, Pep.”

At those words, an uncomfortable silence spread between them. Apparently, it didn’t just remind Tony of the fact that the Avengers would have to leave again. “Do you already know when you will return to New York?” Pepper asked hesitantly.

“No, we’re not that far yet. Thor’s still missing and Steve says Nat needs more rest. The poison has weakened her very much. We’ll be here for about five days at least.” When she smiled, he joined her. “However, then we’ll have to go back to New York. And apparently, we’ve got lots of things to do then.” This reminded him of the new machine that enabled technology.

Pepper frowned. Tony suspected that she could see his worries on his face. “What’s going on?” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

He looked at their hands and his lips twitched. “In Santa Barbara, we found the locations of six more Hydra facilities. And one of them will be a real challenge. Let’s just say that my suit won’t work there. And our communication. Or anything else.”

Now she looked really worried. “That doesn’t sound good. Do you already have a plan about this?”

“Nope. We couldn’t discuss anything yet. After all, we’re not complete. I already hate the fact that I’ll not be able to do anything in this.”

“Without the suit it would be too dangerous.” Pepper said immediately and Tony nodded.

“I know. I’m just glad that the reactor’s gone from my chest.”

She looked at him horrified. “It would have killed you. When the reactor didn’t work.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Exactly. At least that’s not a problem anymore.”

“Please be careful in this.” Pepper begged him.

Tony kissed her again. “I promise.”

Slowly, they began to walk towards the house again. Tony looked at the ocean once more. He was glad that his new house had its personal beach. Of course with all the security measures you could dream of. No one could spy on you or listen to your conversations. Tony had thought of everything.

“Maybe you could also come to New York soon?” Tony suggested and Pepper looked at him in surprise.

“You know that I’ve got lots of work here.” She muttered.

“And you could also do that in NY. You did it before, remember? And besides, there’s a building full of SI employees as well. Two, when I count the reactor there too.” He looked at her appealingly. “I don’t want to be separated from you again.”

Pepper hesitated a few more seconds. “Fine.” She said finally. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Tony grinned. “That’s good. Do you know that I’ve bought a pretty piece of land north of the city?”

“It was in the papers, yes. Even though I wasn’t sure why you need it.”

“I’ve thought about building a new Avengers facility there. The tower is great, but sometimes it’s not practical.” He explained his idea and the excitement returned. “I’ve already talked to Steve about it, he likes the idea. The Compound. Wouldn’t that sound great? And then all the press wouldn’t always wait in front of our home in New York anymore.”

At his excitement, Pepper smiled. “That really sounds appealing.” She said slowly. “Compound. Was it your idea or Steve’s?”

“Mine, of course.” He answered immediately.

Pepper chuckled. “I thought so.”

When they reached the house, Pepper stopped in front of the entrance door again. “Tony, there’s one thing I wanted to ask you. First, I didn’t want to mention this to you, but I’ve thought about it some more… And now that everything’s alright again…”

He raised his eyebrows. “You’re nervous. What is it?”

“There’s this charity event in three days. You got an invitation some time ago. Maybe you want to go there? With me?”

Tony grinned. “Pepper, doubts don’t look good on you. Of course we’ll go there together.” He leaned in to kiss her again. Just in that moment, the entrance door opened.

“There you are, lovebirds!” Clint said with a grin. “Steve wanted me to tell you that dinner’s ready.” Slowly, they followed him into the house. Clint had already reached the kitchen and they could hear his excited voice through the hallway. “Finally they’re back together. I told you that it was just a matter of time!” The other Avengers declared their excitement loudly.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Pepper. “You’re sure that you want to go in there?”

She nodded and bit her lip. “Yeah, I can handle it. After all, you’re by my side.” And then she leaned in to kiss him. This time, however, it wasn’t just a short kiss.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The others grinned at them widely when Tony and Pepper entered the kitchen. He was holding her hand and smiled.

“It was about time that you finally talked to each other.” Natasha said when she stood up and hugged first Pepper and then Tony. While doing that, she ignored the reproachful look on Clint’s face. “Tony’s been miserable those past weeks without you. And I see that you haven’t felt much better.” Slowly, Natasha sat down. “Don’t argue again. It’s not doing any good.”

Pepper smiled at her. “I’m glad that you’re okay, Natasha.”

“I’m fine thanks to Tony and Bruce.” Natasha said and looked at Tony. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. ‘Hurt Pepper again and I’ll kill you.’ it said.

He nodded. “Understood.” Pepper looked at him and Natasha questioningly, but she pretended not to notice it and he shrugged. “It’s nothing.” There were three empty seats on the table between Clint and Steve. Apparently, they still thought that Thor might show up. Without hesitation, Tony sat down next to Steve.

Steve smiled at Tony widely. It was obvious that he was happy for him. During dinner, they talked about everything and nothing at once. They told Pepper stories about what happened in the past weeks (only the good ones). Pepper didn’t talk much, probably because running a company wasn’t too exciting, but she smiled while she listened. And she often reached for Tony’s hand to squeeze it. And he did that too, he still feared that he might wake up every moment. Tony had to know that she was real.

“We have to find Thor tomorrow.” Steve just said and took Tony back to reality. He had been lost in thoughts. “Otherwise, it will get even more difficult to defeat Hydra. They know that he have information about their facilities.”

Tony nodded automatically. “JARVIS can find him.” He said simply. “And tomorrow, we’ll drive to LA and get him back.”

“Do you really think that he can let go of his Jane that easily?” Clint asked in a mocking tone and he laughed.

“He won’t have a chance.”

“Against you?” Natasha asked and raised her eyebrows, which made Clint laugh again. Tony ran a hand through his hair. He knew that Natasha was referring to the first time he met Thor a few years ago.

“I’ll go with Tony.” Steve announced. “I always wanted to meet Mrs. Foster. And I’m sure that we can convince Thor to come back.”

“Appeal to his honour.” Clint said. “That always works with him.”

“Or just tell him that he’ll get more chances to hit Hydra members with his hammer.” Bruce suggested. When the others looked at him in surprise, he just shrugged. “He likes to do that.”

They all laughed. Tony noticed that Pepper was looking tired. He raised his eyebrows. “Want to go to bed?”

She looked down at her hands on the table. “I’m fine.”

“It’s been a long day.” Tony whispered and was glad that the others were cleaning up now and didn’t pay attention to them.

Pepper nodded slowly. “That’s true.” She muttered and to his surprise, there was amusement in her eyes. “The next time you’ll visit a SI building, I won’t accompany you.”

He smiled slightly. “The visit at SI was good.” He argued immediately.

“But the reactor was a disaster.” She shot back just as fast.

He held up his hands. “True. My fault, I’m sorry.”

Pepper sighed. “Tony, it’s not your fault.” she repeated what she’d already told him earlier. “At least not completely.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re right. Let’s not repeat that.” He hesitated a few seconds, before he added: “I bet the charity event will be much more pleasant.”

The smile on her face made his heart beat faster. “I hope so too.”

Tony stood up and held out his hand. She took it. The others had finished cleaning up and Steve was already discussing a show on the TV with Clint. Apparently, they wanted to watch something this evening. “Tomorrow at seven?” Tony asked Steve and he nodded.

Slowly, Tony and Pepper made their way towards their bedroom. Well, or Pepper’s bedroom. Or theirs? Whatever. The bedroom. “Dinner was nice.” Pepper said. “Steve’s a really good cook.”

Tony grinned. “Unexpected, right? Captain America likes cooking.”

“And Tony Stark likes walks on the beach.” Pepper replied softly. “Something you wouldn’t expect as well.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Why is that?”

She chuckled. “You already know the answer.”

He sighed in defeat. “Alright, I do.” Of course no one would think that Tony fuckin’ Stark liked to go outside just to enjoy the nature.

When they reached the door of the bedroom, Pepper hesitated. “Will you go upstairs again?” Her voice sounded insecure.

He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I was planning to.” He began slowly and just wanted to add something, when she interrupted him.

“You don’t have to.” She said quickly. “You can stay here. With me, if that’s what you want. Of course I would understand if you preferred to be alone, but –“

He shut her mouth with a kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’d love to stay with you.” He whispered between the kisses and smiled against her lips.

* * *

The next morning came way too fast. Tony opened his eyes slowly just to find Pepper looking at him thoughtfully. “Good morning.” she whispered softly and smiled. He’d missed her smile very much. And waking up next to her. And of course wrapping his arms around her when she was sleeping.

“How long have you been staring at me?” He muttered and looked at the clock. Six in the morning. Shouldn’t Pepper be out of bed already?

“I don’t know, for some time, I think.” Pepper touched his cheek carefully. “It’s been too long since I could do that.”

He closed his eyes at the touch. “Definitely.” He covered her hand on his cheek with his own. “I haven’t slept this good in months.”

“Me neither.” Pepper moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think the last time I slept without nightmares was before…” She hesitated and Tony knew exactly what she wanted to say. _Before all the fighting started._ Suddenly, the look in her eyes hardened. “Before I’ve been so stupid.” Pepper finished her sentence. 

“Hey, Pep.” He whispered softly. “I’ve already told you that it’s not your fault.”

She sighed. “And I know it is. So I won’t believe you. I should have trusted you more instead of ruining everything.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “You were scared, I get it now. And it’s fine. I understand.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “I know how that feels.”

She inhaled deeply. “Tony… You don’t have to worry for me.”

“I do and you know that.” He replied immediately. “They already tried to use you to hurt me once. And it can happen again…”

“It won’t. I’ve got Happy to look after me and everything will be alright. Would you please look at me?” Slowly, Tony looked into her eyes again. “You could have told me that it scares you.”

He sighed. “We’ve both been stupid.”

She nodded. “That’s right. And now we know better and we won’t make the same mistakes again.”

He smiled slightly. “I hope so. You know that I’m famous for making bad decisions…”

“You’ve changed, Tony. It won’t happen again. And besides, you have very good friends to look after you. I’m sure they’ll tell you when you’re about to do something stupid.”

He couldn’t stop the smile that appeared on his lips and chuckled. “They always do.”

Pepper looked at the clock and grimaced. “I need to get going.” It sounded as if it was the last thing she wanted. And Tony didn’t want to get out of bed as well.

“Yeah, me too.” He muttered slowly.

“You’ll be careful?” Pepper asked and Tony nodded.

“I don’t think that it will be a problem to find Thor. Probably, JARVIS knows already where we have to look for him. And you will not do anything stupid as well?”

She laughed. “I should do anything stupid? And what should that be?”

Somehow, he couldn’t laugh at this. Pepper seemed to notice that something was wrong since she frowned at him. “What’s going on?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He really should stop being jealous of Wilshaw. Yes, he’d tried to ask Pepper out, but she’d always refused. Because of Tony. Nevertheless, he couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling he got every time he thought of that man. Or of any other man who came too close to Pepper and tried to ask her out. Because somehow, he still had the feeling that everyone was better for her than himself. Even if she denied it.  _I have never been happier than with you. And I know that no one else will ever make me happy again. Because I love you, Tony. I’ve always loved you._

“Tony, please speak to me.” Pepper pleaded. “We just got each other back and…” She didn’t finish the sentence and now she looked incredibly sad. It broke his heart.

“Alright, I’ll tell you.” He said quickly. When he told her about his worries, she shook her head with a smile. There were tears in her eyes.

“You can be so stupid sometimes.” She whispered and hugged him tightly. “I’ve already told you that it’s you. Always been and always will.”

He hid his face in her hair and breathed in deeply. “I’m sorry.”

“Maybe I should apologize. After all, I haven’t told him from the beginning that he would never have a chance. I just thought he was being nice and when he first asked me out, it’s already been too late and he didn’t listen to me anymore… It was nothing, Tony. I promise. I would have never betrayed you. I love you.”

He looked at her again. “I know.” And then he kissed her. It wasn’t a soft kiss like the once they’d shared the previous evening – this one was full of passion. He pulled her closer and Pepper’s hands were in his hair now. Suddenly, Pepper moved so that she was on top of him. Tony’s hands wandered down her back and he moaned into the kiss. It’s been so long since they’d been this close…

And then the alarm clock on the nightstand rang. They were both caught by surprise and Pepper nearly jumped out of the bed. With an angry sigh, she reached for the alarm clock and deactivated it. Then she looked at Tony again. There was a regretful look on her face, her har was a mess and her pyjama was creased. “I’ve got to go.” She muttered and he nodded.

“Me too.” He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe we could continue where we left this evening…”

Pepper grinned. “Definitely.” She replied immediately and kissed him again before she left the bed. He sighed and stood up as well.

* * *

When they were finally ready, they found Steve and Happy already waiting for them at the front door. Steve wore jeans and a brown leather jacket. The only thing that distracted from his normal appearance was the shield on his back. “Good morning.” He said politely and Tony saw the gleam in his eyes. Of course his friend already knew that he hadn’t spent the night in the room upstairs and alone. And from the look on Happy’s face, Tony could tell that he knew that too.

“Good morning, Sir. Mrs. Potts.” Happy smiled at them and Tony grinned. He looked for his sunglasses in his pockets and nodded more to himself when he found them. He had decided not to wear a suit today, so he’d taken a simple jeans with a t-shirt and a black jacket. The look on Pepper’s face had told him that she liked what she saw.

When they reached the cars, Tony kissed Pepper again. “I love you.” He whispered into her ear before he turned around to join Steve.

It wasn’t difficult to find out where Thor was. When Tony asked JARVIS, he could already give them the address of the place where Jane Foster was currently working. Apparently, it was a small lab a few miles outside of LA. She was working on a secret project there and would leave in a few weeks. Steve wasn’t sure if they would be welcome there, but Tony just shrugged. “When they won’t let us in, we’ll ask them to tell Thor that we’re there.” He said simply.

It turned out that their worries were unjustified. Even before they reached the building, the front door opened and a man came outside, a wide smile on his lips. “Mr. Stark, Captain Rogers, it’s good to see you! We saw the car and when Thor said that it’s you, I just had to come downstairs to greet you.” Dr. Selvig said and shook their hands.

“It’s been a long time, Dr. Selvig.” Steve said while they shook hands.

“Oh please, it’s Erik.” The Doctor said with a smile.

“Then it’s Steve for you.” Came the immediate reply.

“And Tony.” He added and smiled slightly. Then he looked at the building in front of them. It wasn’t very big and from the outside, it didn’t look like a laboratory or anything like that. Tony suspected that it was intentional. “So you’re working on a project here, outside of the city and in a building, which doesn’t even have a letter box. Seems to be pretty important what you’re doing, when no one should find out who’s here.”

“You found us.” Erik said and they followed him inside.

Tony shrugged. “Wasn’t difficult.”

“But it should be.” Somehow, it sounded as if it bothered him.

“Thor found you too.” Steve threw in.

“He got the location from Jane.” Erik explained. “And we trust Thor.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “And you don’t trust us?”

Selvig held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “Of course I do. But when you can find out where we are and what we’re doing, then others can do that too.”

Tony shook his head. “I doubt it. JARVIS is better than most others. After all, I programmed him.”

Selvig didn’t look convinced, but he dropped the theme. While they walked through the building, JARVIS was scanning everything they saw. Just in case it might be important. And besides, Tony always liked to know what others were doing, especially when it was about science.

“We didn’t expect you to come here.” Erik said.

“We’re looking for Thor. We need to discuss something, but for that the entire team has to be there.” Steve explained and Selvig nodded.

“He wanted to leave soon either way. He fears that he distracts Jane from her work.” He stopped and looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was close by. However, they hadn’t seen a single person since they entered the building. “He’s right, though. Jane can hardly focus when he’s around. They’re so in love.” At the last words, his lips twitched and Tony knew that he was happy for them.

Finally, they entered a room that looked like a laboratory and at the same time it didn’t. There were computers all around and tables, but there were papers lying on them. No more technology, nothing. Nevertheless, Tony had the suspicion that all that was also here in this building, just hidden.

“Look Jane, we’ve got visitors!” Selvig announced when they entered the room. Thor was leaning on a table close to the window and watched Jane. When they entered, he looked up and grinned. Jane was sitting on a computer and studied photographs, which she closed as soon as she heard Selvig’s voice. 

Her eyes widened when she saw who just entered. Then she stood up quickly. “Oh my god, this is a big surprise.” Suddenly, she seemed to realize what she just said because she blushed. “I mean, it’s an honour to meet you, Mr. Stark, Captain Rogers. Thor has already told me so much of you.” She came closer and shook their hands.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Foster.” Steve said politely and Tony grinned.

“Please call me Jane.” She muttered and looked nervous. “I wanted to meet you for some time by now. Especially you, Mr. Stark. Your inventions are brilliant.”

Tony smiled. “From what I’ve heard, you are brilliant as well, Jane.”

Thor seemed to notice that Jane was feeling uneasy too since he took her hand. “Why are you here?” He asked and frowned at them.

“We need to talk about our next move, there are more problems ahead.” Steve announced and Thor’s expression darkened.

“I already expected that.” He said slowly. “When will we leave?”

“In a few days, first we have to talk about everything.”

“Will you return to New York?” Jane asked suddenly and Tony nodded.

“That’s the plan. After that, we’ll have to see how things will go on. But we need to go to New York since our equipment is there.”

Thor nodded slowly. Then he turned to Jane, who looked disappointed now. “When will I see you again?” she asked.

Thor just smiled. “We will see each other again, Jane. When the time is right.”

It was obvious that she wasn’t happy with that answer, but she nodded. Apparently, she was used to Thor’s behaviour. Which wasn’t a surprise. Tony doubted that it was easy to be in a relationship with someone from another planet.

Slowly, Tony walked around the lab and Selvig followed him. He explained that they were still trying to understand the Convergence better. Tony had heard of that phenomenon, but he didn’t quite understand it. Probably, because he didn’t have the time to deal with it further. And Steve didn’t know anything about it yet. The next two hours, Jane, Erik and Thor explained it to them. Together with the events which had happened back when the Convergence had taken place.

In the end, Steve nodded, am impressed look on his face. “Seems like we weren’t the only ones who had exciting years since New York.” He said to Tony.

He chuckled. “Do you really think we’ll ever get peace?”

Steve shook his head. “Would be too easy.”

“And boring.” Thor added.

When the three of them started to laugh, Jane and Selvig exchanged a look. It was obvious that they didn’t find something like that very funny.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“No technology. Doesn’t sound like a problem.” Thor said lightly and raised his eyebrows at the shocked glances of the other team members.

“Not a problem?” Tony asked loudly. “ _Not a problem_?!? Are you insane?” He stood up from his chair and ran a hand through his hair. It was in the afternoon. Right after they’d arrived with Thor, the Avengers told him about the things they found out. Apparently, Thor didn’t think that it was a bad situation. 

“I am not dependent on such things.” Thor said proudly.

“And how do you want to go to Alaska without technology?” This time, Natasha raised her eyebrows at him sceptically.

“That won’t be a problem since I can –“

“Yes, _you_ can.” Tony interrupted him harshly. “And what about us? Should we walk there from New York?” His tone was sarcastically. He knew that he was probably being unfair, but it really bothered him that his suit wouldn’t work there. And that he’d be useless. 

“You can fly with the jet towards the base, then I’ll enable this machine and you can come to help me.” Thor suggested.

“Too dangerous.” Steve interrupted him immediately. “You won’t go in there alone. Just because Hydra can’t use technology as well in there, it doesn’t mean that they’re defenceless.”

“He’s got a point there.” Tony smiled at Steve for half a second, before he turned serious again. “But we’ve also thought about destroying the machine. Otherwise, I won’t be of much use.” He sighed in frustration. “How I hate that.”

“And our communication won’t work, we won’t be able to contact JARVIS, I don’t have any weapons, Clint’s bow won’t work, Steve’s gauntlets…” Natasha listed a few more things and put a hand on his arm. “It’s not just you, Tony.”

“Without the suit, I can’t do anything.”

“You already fought without the suit.” Steve threw in. “You said it yourself, when it was destroyed, back in –“

“Yeah, but I wasn’t very good then, was I?” Tony asked with a slight smile. He knew that Steve meant the events with the Mandarin. However, he didn’t want to talk about it right now. “But let’s not discuss that. We can’t just go there and sent some of us in. Not when we don’t know anything about that place.”

“But we have to do something. It’s the most important Hydra facility since it’s well guarded.” Bruce muttered thoughtfully. “I could go in. The Other Guy isn’t dependent on technology…”

“And once you’re in, you’ll just destroy everything in your way?” Natasha asked and to Tony’s surprise, her tone was mocking and she smiled at Bruce. Which surprised him even more was that Bruce chuckled.

“Not a good idea?”

She shook her head. “Not so much, to be honest.”

“Leaves Thor, Clint, Natasha and me.” Steve concluded.

“My bow won’t work there.” Clint said slowly.

“Get a normal one?” Steve suggested and shrugged. “And you can fight without it as well.”

Tony looked at Bruce. “Means we’re staying out of the zone of that thing and wait for a signal.”

“What kind of signal?” Bruce looked at them questioningly.

Tony grinned. “As soon as that thing’s destroyed, we’ll know about it.”

“That’s all very nice, but it doesn’t solve the problem with the information about that place. You said yourself that we can’t go in there without knowing anything, Tony.”

“Why don’t we do it in the old-fashioned way?” Steve asked instead of Tony and grinned. “We’re going to spy on it by ourselves.” When Steve’s words were followed by silence, he raised his eyebrows. “It’s the only way, isn’t it?”

Tony nodded. “You’re right, Cap. Doesn’t mean that we have to like it. Because it’s also dangerous.”

“Everything we do is dangerous.” Steve said.

“Yeah, but then we can always contact each other and we have our weapons.” At Clint’s comment, Thor cleared his throat. “We all know that you don’t care about the technical problem.” He muttered darkly.

“I understand the problem.” Thor threw in quickly. “And we already have the solution, don’t we?”

When Tony rolled his eyes, Thor sighed in defeat. “Are there really so much more things we need to discuss?”

“I think we’ll talk about most of them in New York.” Steve said slowly and Tony nodded.

Even though, they discussed everything for two more hours. Until JARVIS announced that Pepper arrived. When she entered the lab, Thor was still discussing the use of technology with Clint. Thor was just explaining that in Asgard, everything was working without technology, while Clint argued that magic couldn’t be compared to that. Natasha and Bruce were talking about the different countries they had already visited, even though Tony didn’t know since when they were this close. And Steve was leaning on a table while Tony was working on his new gloves. In the past months, Steve had joined him very often in his lab to watch him work. Tony didn’t understand why, but he also wouldn’t complain. He enjoyed Steve’s company.

Tony looked up from his work as soon as the door of the lab opened. “Hey Pep, how was your day?” He smiled widely and the others greeted her as well.

First, Pepper seemed to be confused by their activities, but then she relaxed and walked to Tony and Steve. “Exhausting, as always.” She shrugged. “I had to explain the incident with the reactor. And why the facility is run by someone else now. And the police was there, they want us to make a statement about Wilshaw. Or you, to be exact.”

Tony sighed. “I’m sorry that I let you alone with this.”

“No, it’s fine.” She said quickly. “I know that you’ve got more important things to do.” She glanced at Steve. “You all do. I can deal with that.”

Tony put down his screwdriver and turned to her. “Tomorrow, I’ll deal with the whole Wilshaw business. I promise, you don’t have to do that.”

“But Tony, I can also –“

“You’re already doing so much. It’s the least I can do for you.” When he smiled at her, she nodded slowly.

“Alright. But don’t mess it up.”

He grinned. “You know me, I’d never do that.”

“He would.” Pepper said to Steve, who was watching them in amusement.

“Of course he would.”

“Hey!” Tony complained. “On whose side are you?” At that question, Steve held up his hands.

“I’m not picking sides. We’re all a team.”

When Steve didn’t say anything else, Tony turned to Pepper again. “I won’t mess it up.” He repeated.

Her soft smile made his heart beat faster. “I know that.” She whispered and took a step closer to him.

He smiled as well. “I would love to hug you right now, but then I’ll ruin your dress. And that would be a shame.” He held up his hands which were covered in oil. To be honest, he really liked her dress. It was dark blue and suited here very well. He really didn’t want to ruin it.

Pepper sighed theatrically. “I’ll get changed.” She announced suddenly. “I’ll see you in the kitchen?”

“Actually, I would like to take you out for dinner.” Tony said, which made her freeze.

“You want to go out?”

He nodded with a smile. “Do you?”

“I would love to.”

* * *

Dinner was very nice. Tony took her to a restaurant in Malibu they’ve visited very often in the past. They talked about everything – except the Avengers and Stark Industries. And it was really good to finally have her back. In the months they’d been apart, Tony had missed her very much. And apparently, she’d missed him too. It wasn’t just the love of his life. Pepper was so much more. She understood him better than anyone else. She knew exactly when he was happy or upset and when he didn’t want to talk about it. Like that evening, the plan he’d made with the others was still bothering him. He hated to be useless. However, Pepper didn’t ask. She just tried to distract him from the dark thoughts – which worked very well – and made him laugh very often. She was his everything.

When they were back at home, they were still holding hands and smiled at each other. This time, Pepper didn’t need to ask if Tony would stay with her. He just walked to their bedroom silently. Once they were inside, it was Pepper who wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. “I love you.” She whispered between the kisses.

“And I love you. More than anything.” Soon their kisses became more slowly, but not less passionate. It had been such a long time since they’d been this close and Tony wanted to enjoy every moment of it. He didn’t even care that his suit was tossed to the ground carelessly. However, it was a shame about Pepper’s dress. 

Hours later, they were lying next to each other, Pepper in his arms. He was drawing circles on her back with his free hand and she had closed her eyes happily. “I’ve missed you.” she whispered and leaned in to kiss him again.

“My Pepper.” He muttered and tightened his grip around her. In this moment, he just wanted to ignore the reality. The fact, that he would have to leave in a few days. That they would be separated again. “I’m never letting you go again.”

“That’s good.” She sighed and touched his cheek carefully. “I don’t think that I could stand that. It was already unbearable last time.” Her hand moved from his cheek down to his chest and rested on the scar where the Arc reactor had been once. “You’re everything to me.”

He smiled when she voiced the thoughts he had back at dinner. “You’re incredible.” He whispered and kissed her again slowly.

When they drew back after a few minutes, Pepper had a thoughtful expression on her face. “What’s going on?” He asked lightly.

“You’re leaving in three days.” She muttered and his heart dropped. This was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now.

“Yeah… Even though I don’t want to.” He admitted.

“Tony, you have to go. I understand that. You need to save the world.” She was really amazing.

“Doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy to leave you again.”

To his surprise, she smiled softly and placed a hand on his heart again. “You won’t have to leave me yet. I can’t let you go, Tony. Which is why I decided to go to New York with you.” He had expected everything... but not that.

“You’ll come with us?” He asked slowly, not sure if this wasn’t just a dream. However, the feeling of Pepper’s hand on his chest seemed pretty real. And her body against his too.

Suddenly, she was looking insecure. “Unless you don’t want me to…”

He silenced her with a kiss. “You’re incredible.” He whispered against her lips and kissed her again, more urgently this time. “I love you. And there’s nothing I want more than you. Me, not waning you to come with me…” He shook his head. “Sometimes, you can be pretty stupid.”

“So this is a yes?” She asked breathlessly and sighed when he moved so that he was on top of her.

“Always.” He whispered against her lips.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next morning, Tony was waiting with Pepper for Happy. Pepper had to go to work at SI and Tony wanted to deal with the police to get rid off the whole Wilshaw business. And while he was doing that, he also wanted to stop by at the reactor and see if everything was alright there. And he had to make sure that an incident like that wouldn’t happen again. He had already invented a new software that just had to be installed. He would do that on the main reactor at Stark Industries as well. And no, he didn’t just want to do it because he could visit Pepper at work. He had to make sure that his company was safe while he was saving the world with the Avengers.

When Happy finally showed up and drove Pepper to SI, Tony also walked to his car slowly. The day was uneventful. The police took his statement and told him that he’d be informed about the next step against Wilshaw. At the reactor, everything was peaceful and Brian Wilbur, the new leader of the facility, was everything Tony could hope for. Friendly, capably, and most importantly, he was married. There was a photo of his husband on Wilbur’s desk, Tony thought that he looked nice.

At Stark Industries, he earned many surprised glances, maybe because this was the second time in a few days that Tony showed up at his company by himself. It was late when he arrived, Pepper would be ready to leave soon. However, Tony couldn’t be there earlier. There was something he had to get first, for the charity event. After all, Tony Stark couldn’t just show up there in an old suit. Not when Pepper had already bought a new dress for the occasion. The only thing he’d been able to find out was the colour, so they could wear matching clothes.

When they finally reached the house in Malibu again, Pepper was still telling him stories about the meeting where she’d announced that she would go to New York for a few weeks. Apparently, some other members of SI hadn’t been too happy about it. Not because she would be gone, visiting the buildings in the other cities had been on their to-do list for some time by now. No, they weren’t happy with it because they had to speak with Pepper on the phone or over a computer. The oldest members in the council always hadn’t been too open to technic. Tony never understood why.

To their surprise, Rhodey’s car was standing in front of the house. “Did you know that he wanted to come for a visit? I thought he would be gone for weeks and wanted to meet you in New York.” Pepper asked and Tony shook his head.

“Nope. Didn’t tell me anything. But I’m sure the others will have kept him busy while we were gone.” He took Pepper’s hand and together, they entered the building. They heard voices in the living room and when they saw who was sitting there, both Tony and Pepper grinned. Apparently, Steve was telling Rhodey old stories about his time in the war. And Rhodey asked many questions, about the tactics they used back then and more stuff, Tony didn’t really listen. They were so concentrated on their conversation that they didn’t even notice Tony and Pepper standing there. Natasha and Bruce were in the kitchen, playing chess. Tony didn’t know where they got that game, he’d never seen anything like this in his house. Natasha smiled at them, while Bruce looked a little uncomfortable that they had company now.

“Where did you get that game?” Tony asked and leaned on the doorframe. He would go and interrupt Steve and Rhodey soon. Apparently, Nat and Bruce wanted some privacy and he wasn’t going to disturb them.

Natasha looked at him in surprise. “JARVIS told us where we could find it.”

Tony frowned. “I own a chess set?”

Next to him, Pepper rolled her eyes. “Yes, you do.” She muttered.

“ _It has been a present from Colonel Rhodes._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony still couldn’t remember it. “When did I get a chess set? And why on earth did Rhodey give something like that to me as a present?”

“It was a present to your birthday. He thought that maybe it would calm you down. He admitted himself that it had been a stupid idea.” Pepper explained. She smiled at Natasha and Bruce. “It’s good to see that you like it.”

Tony turned to Pepper. “When did he get me a chess set?” He repeated his question.

“ _It was a present to your birthday last year, Sir._ ” JARVIS threw in. 

“I don’t remember that.” Tony admitted after a few moments of silence.

Pepper smiled slightly. “Of course you don’t. Didn’t you say that something like this is a waste of time for you and an offense to your mind? And then you threw it into the drawer in the living room.”

“And that’s where we found it. Thank you, by the way. We could use something like this in New York too.” Natasha said and smiled at Bruce again. However, Bruce was looking at Tony with raised eyebrows.

“You forgot what your best friend gave you as a gift on your birthday last year?”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “It’s been a tough year. So yes, maybe I forgot it.” He shrugged. “Why don’t you take it with you to New York?” He glanced at Pepper. “Or does anyone use it here?”

She shook her head. “I’ve never been a fan of chess. And Rhodey doesn’t like to play it as well.”

Now Tony looked at her suspiciously. “And why did he give it to me then?”

“Honestly?” A voice behind them asked. “I didn’t know what to get you since it’s very difficult. And you already forgot the present from the previous year. Wants to say that it was likely you would forget this present as well. The chess set was there, I didn’t need it and well…” Rhodey shrugged, grinning widely. “You forgot it.”

Tony shook his head. “Rhodey…” He muttered. “This is very unexpected for you. Could have been my idea.” Then he grinned at his friend, who started to laugh.

“I had the best teacher.” Now Tony had to laugh too.

“You guys are crazy, you know that?” Steve asked. When Tony and Rhodey didn’t stop laughing, Steve exchanged a look with Pepper.

“They’ve been always like this.” Pepper said simply, which made Tony wrap his arms around her.

“You love me.” He whispered and she sighed.

“I still don’t know why.” She muttered.

“Don’t you?” Tony touched her cheek softly and leaned closer so that their lips were nearly touching.

“If you start making out there, I’ll throw this chess set at you!” Natasha announced loudly, which made Tony turn his head to look at her with raised eyebrows. He scanned the chess set quickly.

“Just because Bruce’s winning.”

This really made Natasha frown. She looked at the game in front of her. “I thought you didn’t know chess.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Just because I don’t like it, it doesn’t mean that I don’t  _understand_ it.” He took Pepper’s hand. “Let’s go to the living room, we’ll leave you alone again.” 

The rest of the evening was uneventful, Rhodey wanted to talk to them some more since he had to leave again the next morning because of a new mission. He was only here for one night, as a layover on his way to South America. However, he didn’t tell them why he had to go there. Steve stayed with them, saying he didn’t want to join Clint and Thor, who were watching action movies downstairs, in the new cinema room next to Tony’s lab. Tony didn’t have the chance to use that room before, but he was happy that his friends seemed to like it. Natasha and Bruce didn’t leave the kitchen the entire evening, playing chess and talking. 

“They like each other.” Pepper whispered later, when they were lying in bed together.

“Hm?” Tony asked, opening his eyes slowly.

“Natasha and Bruce.” Pepper explained. “Did you see the way they look at each other?”

He nodded. “I’ve seen if before, back in New York. Seems like they’re tired of hiding.”

“Hiding?”

“Nat always keeps a distance to people emotionally. Even to Clint who’s her best friend. And Bruce is also careful when it comes to others. And the two of them together… It’s nothing I expected.” He shrugged and wrapped his arms around Pepper even tighter.

“I think it could work. Somehow, it fits.” Tony could hear how tired she was and he chuckled.

“It does, right?” He kissed Pepper on the forehead. “Now sleep, Pep. I love you.”

“Love you too.” She muttered and Tony smiled in the darkness. Soon after, sleep overtook him as well.

* * *

Pepper looked at herself in the mirror again. “No, it doesn’t work like this.” She muttered. “It looks stupid, doesn’t it?”

“Pepper, you’re looking beautiful. Stunning, even. I bet everyone on that event will just have eyes for you.” Natasha tried to calm her down. They would have to leave soon, it was already late afternoon. Natasha had offered to help Pepper to get ready and she had happily accepted. It was so good to have another woman in the house, even if it was just for a short time.

She looked at herself in the mirror critically. Her long dress was dark green (she’d chosen this colour because Tony once said that he liked it on her very much) with golden patterns on it. Pepper thought that she’d never before worn something more elegant. Natasha had braided her hair and now most of it was pinned up, just a few curls were falling onto her shoulders. Her makeup matched the colour of the dress and around her neck, she was wearing a necklace she’d gotten from Tony as a Christmas gift once.

Pepper looked at Natasha. “You really think I can go like this?”

She nodded immediately, a mischievous smile on her lips. “Just wait for Tony’s reaction, I bet he’ll even consider keeping you to himself when you look like this.”

Pepper laughed, but it sounded breathless. When had she been this nervous before? Well, except for the day Tony had turned up in Malibu with the Avengers, most of them wounded… She shook her head, trying to keep those thoughts away. She would never forget it, when Tony had walked into the living room, still wearing his suit and his face covered in blood… And Natasha’s pale face, barely conscious in Thor’s arms.

“It will be great, I’m sure of that.” Nat took Pepper’s hands and squeezed them, a reassuring smile on her lips. Somehow, she seemed to notice Pepper’s nervousness. On the other hand, it shouldn’t surprise Pepper that she did. It was Natasha, after all.

“I just don’t want to ruin anything.” Pepper sighed. “When I’m around him everything seems so easy. You know Tony, it’s hard to stay mad at him. And then I remember the events of the previous months and how terrible that time has been and I’m getting nervous. And of course he notices it, which makes everything even worse. Because it hurts him, to think of all those things.”

Now Natasha’s smile was gone and she nodded, looking serious. “I know, it’s hard for both of you. And maybe you should just try to forget everything.”

“I’m already trying. It’s not that easy.”

Natasha raised her eyebrows. “Isn’t it? Or don’t you just make things difficult for yourself?”

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came closer and someone knocked on the door. Nat took a step back and looked at Pepper once more. Then she nodded, a satisfied expression on her face. “You look great.” Then she turned to the door. “Come in!”

Pepper’s heart began to race when the door opened slowly and she saw Tony standing there, smiling widely.

“I’ll leave you two alone. Have fun.” Natasha smiled at them once more before she left. Tony was leaning on the doorframe casually and smiled at Pepper. Now her heart was racing even more. He looked beautiful. His suit was black, his shirt white and the tie a dark green with golden patterns, matching her dress perfectly. She wondered how he knew this, but then she pushed the thought aside. It wouldn’t have been difficult for Tony to find out what her dress looked like. His hair was styled and she was glad that he finally didn’t look that tired anymore. The dark rings under his eyes were also vanishing, but Pepper knew that they weren’t completely gone by now. However, she didn’t blame him for hiding that. She did that too.

Nevertheless, all those things didn’t make her smile widely at him. It was the look on his face, the face she knew so well and which could still surprise her. The look it showed now was one of pure love and awe. Slowly, Tony stepped closer to her. “Pepper, you look beautiful. No, beautiful is not enough. Perfect, you look perfect, Mrs. Potts.” He took her hand and kissed it, which made her chuckle. She had never seen him like this before. The great Tony Stark, looking for the right words! 

“And you look stunning, Mr. Stark.” She whispered and was surprised that her voice sounded calm. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. Kissing Tony was also something she couldn’t get tired of. And once they started, it was always so difficult to stop…

“But there is one thing that’s still missing on you.” Tony said suddenly and she raised her eyebrows.

“Oh?” She asked and he grinned. Suddenly, he was holding a small box in his hands.

“This is for you.” He gave her the box with a smile, she knew that he was nervous. In the box, she found the most beautiful pair of earrings she’d ever seen. They were small, made of gold. In the middle of each earring, there was a small stone in a dark green. Just like the dress.

“Tony…” She whispered, not sure what to say. She didn’t expect him to get something for her today. After all, they were just back together for a few days…

“Don’t.” Tony said, stopping her thoughts. “You’ve overthinking it. Just accept it, they will look beautiful on you.” At the last words, his tone became soft again. “I love you, Pepper.”

“And I love you, Tony. They’re wonderful, thank you.” She kissed him deeply.

When she looked at Tony and herself in the mirror, Tony’s arms wrapped around her waist, she smiled widely. “You look beautiful.” Tony whispered into her ear again.

“You too, Tony.”

“Handsome, you mean.” He muttered immediately and she laughed.

“Shall we go then?” She raised her eyebrows and he nodded.

“Don’t want to be late, do we?” He held out his hand and she took it. When they saw the Avengers waiting for them in the living room, they both laughed. “We just wanted to see you before you go to your party. You look very good. And have fun!” Steve said with a grin and the others nodded.

“We will.” Tony said and led her to the door, where Happy was already waiting for them.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The first thing they saw when they got out of the car were the lights of the cameras. People were already shouting at Pepper to look at them so they could get a good photo when they noticed that Tony had left the car as well. And that’s when it all seemed to escalate.

“Mr. Stark!”

“What are you doing in LA, Mr. Stark?”

“Look into this direction!”

People were trying to get closer to them, just to get a good photo of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts walking towards the building together. Probably for those magazines which would dig up every little scandal that had happened in the past.

Pepper had still turned her back to all the people, waiting for Tony. He grinned at her and she smiled. “Come on, let’s give them something to talk about.” Tony muttered and wrapped his arm around her waist. Together, they turned around to face the people all around them. Later, that picture would be on the cover of most of the magazines and even some papers. And maybe it would also be the background of Tony’s phone?

Slowly, they entered the building, Tony’s arm still wrapped around her waist. “People are staring.” Pepper whispered to him, still smiling and looking carefree. Tony knew that she was feeling uncomfortable. She had never liked the attention of too many people and ever since their break, she was insecure about herself. He hated it. And he hated himself for doing something like that to her. However, she was a good actor. You had to know her very well to notice it.

“Of course they are, you look stunning, Pep.” Tony whispered back, trying to calm her down. He greeted a few people who seemed to know him (though he didn’t know most of them). and kissed Pepper on the cheek. “You need to relax, this evening should be fun.”

“Because parties are always so fun when you had a few drinks and I have to make all the conversations with people I don’t even know. People who actually want to talk to you.” He forged back a sigh and looked at her, still smiling. Why on earth did she have to talk about this now? On the evening of a charity event, when they were already at the event and everyone was staring at them?

“You don’t need to worry.” He muttered and stopped in front of the room where the main event with all the dancing and talking took place. “I stopped drinking and I won’t do it again. So today, I’m going to talk to people.” He gave her his most charming smile. “I want you to enjoy this evening. I’m not going to ruin it, I promise.”

“You did… what?” Pepper’s confused expression was nothing he’d expected as a reaction to this. He’d expected her to be more… happy.

“I don’t drink anymore. No alcohol, I’m done with it. Stopped the moment I left for New York.” He shrugged. “Not a big deal.”

Slowly, Pepper seemed to understand what he’d just told her and her expression turned sceptical. “Why would you do that?”

Before Tony could answer, someone called his name. Without thinking about it, Tony smiled widely and wrapped his arm around Pepper’s waist again. Next to him, Pepper was smiling as well. When did they become this good in acting?

“Tony Stark, what are you doing here?” The man who was walking towards them now was tall, with grey hair, black glasses and he was wearing a horrible blue checked suit. Tony recognized him immediately, though he hadn’t seen him in years.

“Journalist.” He muttered to Pepper. “I was invited and I came.” He said more loudly. “It’s good to see you, Thomas.” Luckily, he remembered the name of that man. “Haven’t seen each other in ages.”

They shook hands. “The last time when you were still in the weapons business, I think.” He turned to Pepper and smiled at her. “And you must be Mrs. Potts, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Thomas Brown.”

“Hello, Mr. Brown. You’re working for one of the big newspaper agencies in LA, if I recall it right?” Pepper said politely.

“Call me Thomas, please. And yes, even if I have been staying abroad for a few years. I was in Australia, working on a few articles about big projects in architecture there.” Tony noticed that he sounded proud. Architecture? So Thomas had changed his subject. The last time Tony had seen him, he was working on big projects about weapons. That’s how they met. They had an interview, about a year before he’d been captured. After that, Tony hadn’t seen him again.

“Why architecture?” Tony asked and Thomas chuckled.

“War cannot be everyone’s business, Tony. Working on those things for over ten years had been enough for me. I wanted something new. Something less… violent.” At the last word, his smile became a little sharper. Of course it was a swipe against him.

Pepper seemed to notice that too. “Well, that’s also the reason why Stark Industries chose to work on clean energy.” She cut in immediately. “Now we’re doing something more useful. With our new technologies, we can change the world and make it a better place for everyone.” In this moment, Tony loved her even more than before. How was it possible that this amazing woman wanted to be with him?

“I’ve heard about your projects. Cities that are running completely with clean energy. Those news have even reached me in Australia. How long would that last before the reactor had to be loaded again? A year, right?”

“Two years.” Tony corrected him. “I’ve made some changes. And my latest technology will last even longer, it’s still in the test phase. But I expect a much longer lifetime.”

This time, Thomas looked truly impressed. “How do you even have time for this? I’ve heard that the Avengers are also back together, so you have to be very busy.”

Tony smiled. “I can handle it.” He said simply. “And if you want a statement on the projects of SI or the Avengers, you have to make an appointment for an interview, I fear.”

“However, you shouldn’t expect to get a statement soon. We at Stark Industries are very busy at the moment, I fear our schedule is full for the next months.” Pepper added with her most convincing smile.

“And the Avengers are also busy. I think the statement I made to the press a few weeks ago is all we can handle at the moment. After all, we’ve got to save the world.” At the last sentence, Tony shrugged. “But since it isn’t your area of expertise, you surely don’t want to talk about boring stuff like that.”

Thomas was looking at them silently for a few moments. Tony would have liked to laugh at his confused expression, but Pepper squeezed his arm to make him stay silent.

“It’s true what they say about you.” Thomas said finally.

“And what do they say?” Tony asked slowly and raised his eyebrows.

“That you’re a good team.” He shook his head and smiled again. “I think I should get going, there’s this famous architect here I wanted to talk to. Maybe we’ll see each other again soon. Tony. Pepper.” With those words Thomas turned around and walked away, into the direction where all the voices and the music came from.

“That was interesting.” Pepper muttered. “I didn’t like the way he was talking to you.”

“I’ve noticed.” Tony kissed her quickly. “We do really make a good team.”

“We do, right?” Now she smiled and her cheeks were red. He loved it when she blushed.

“Now let’s give the people in there something to talk about.”

Hand in hand, they walked right into the crowd.

* * *

After most of the people had accepted Tony’s presence and stopped asking him why he was here and if he was alright, everything was fine. They talked to some business partners of SI, most of them had met Pepper on meetings before. They were really nice and soon, the conversation turned away from the business and towards other things. It only got uncomfortable when it turned to politics and problems in this world. 

“We have to stop all this fighting. People are dying every day. Men, women, even _children_. And no one’s been able to prevent it yet.” The wife of one of their business partners said now. She was working for an aid organisation, she’d told them earlier. One that took care of people who’d lost their homes in the war. Or in the events that used to follow a war. 

“It’s not that easy, honey.” Her husband said slowly, his name was Ben, Tony remembered now. “They’re doing everything they can.”

“But it’s not enough. There has to be something they can do. You can say it all like this so easily, Ben. You haven’t seen it. All the pain that has been caused by a war. The panic and the fear. Those people who survived that will never be alright again. Even if we help them now.” She was looking very frustrated and Tony exchanged a look with Pepper. She bowed her head slightly. _Are you alright?_ that gesture said. Of course she knew that it wasn’t easy for him to talk about something like this. Because he’d also seen it all. He’d _caused_ many of those things. And it still haunted him. Suddenly, Pepper took his hand and squeezed it. He smiled at her. 

“And what should they do? They can’t just go there and attack all the people who want to start a war.” Another woman threw in. “That would also cause one.”

“But then both sides would have their own weapons and would be able to defend themselves. Now they’re attacking helpless people.”

“Anna…” Ben said slowly, but she shook her head.

“Wouldn’t it be fairer? When both sides have the same chance to win?” Did both sides ever have the same chance? Tony wasn’t so sure about that. There was always something that caused an imbalance. Better weapons, more people, different technology…

“Maybe we should talk about something else?” Pepper threw in lightly and ripped Tony out of his thoughts.

“You shouldn’t say anything to this at all, I think.” Anna said now. “After all, you’ve been working for that industry for years. You’ve been working for him.” Now she pointed at Tony angrily. “That’s how you made your money, Mr. Stark. With killing people. You might not have done it yourself, but you gave many people the opportunity to do so. Which makes you not better than all the other people.”

Before Tony could say anything, Ben interrupted his wife again. “Anna! Would you please stop this?” He glanced at Tony and Pepper.  _I’m so sorry_ his expression said.

“Why should I stop this? It’s time that someone tells him what kind of person he is. But he doesn’t care about it either way, does he? After all, he’s better than everyone else in this room. And he’s also an Avenger. Which makes him even more popular. Save the world once and everyone forgets that you’re a monster, right? Wasn’t that what you thought in the first place?” Luckily, the music around them was very loud and they stood in a corner of the room, not too close to others. Otherwise, this could have been even more awkward. Tony noticed that next to him, Pepper was staring at the woman angrily and Ben also opened his mouth to say something again.

“I know that it wasn’t right.” Tony cut in quickly. “And I know that you won’t believe me when I say that it’s not easy to carry such a burden. I’ve made a mistake, that’s true. I’ve changed my ways and ever since, I’m trying to make the world a better place. I hope that I can really make it a better place one day.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I understand your anger and probably, I even deserve it. Just believe me when I say that I’ve learned from my mistakes.” He inhaled deeply, trying to collect his thoughts. “And to your suggestion, would it really make a war fairer when both sides have weapons? When both sides can prepare for the attack? Yes, they would see it coming. And besides that?” Tony looked at Anna patiently. “There would also be many people dying. That wouldn’t change. I’ve seen enough fights, it’s never fair.” He forced his most relaxed smile onto his face. “If you would excuse me? I need some air.” Without looking at any of them anymore, he turned around and walked into the crowd.

* * *

When Tony left, they just stood there in silence. Anna was looking taken aback and Ben eyed his wife angrily before he turned to Pepper. The other couple who stood at their table was looking down at their glasses silently. It was obvious that they felt really uncomfortable right now.

And Pepper? She was feeling… well, numb. She didn’t have expectations about this evening. Honestly, she had hoped that it would be nice. That she could have fun with Tony. It’s been too long since they’d done something like this. Now she remembered why they stopped to go to those events on some point. Because there was always this one person who wanted to tell Tony Stark just how bad he was. Normally, Tony just shrugged it off. He smiled at that one person, laughed in his or her face and everything was alright again. Today was different.

She knew that the past months hadn’t been easy for him. And now someone mentioned one of the things that bothered him the most about his life… They’d never really talked about this. Pepper never tried to do it and Tony didn’t either. When he’d decided to turn his back on the weapon industry, they’d just closed that door behind them. And it had been closed for years. There had been other things on their minds, like the company and of course Iron Man. 

“I’m so sorry.” Ben said finally and cleared his throat. “Anna didn’t want to insult him like this.” He said hesitantly. _But she did_ Pepper thought. _And she knew what she’d been saying._ Anna hadn’t touched alcohol the entire evening. So every word had been well considered. 

“I’ll just go and make sure he’s alright.” Pepper said and grabbed her things. “And it’s not your fault, we won’t hold it against you.” She whispered into Ben’s ear before she turned around and began to look for Tony in the crowd. It was true, she didn’t want to lose Ben as a partner for SI. However, when Tony decided that he didn’t want to trade with him anymore after this, there was nothing Pepper could do.

When she hadn’t been able to find him ten minutes later, she was starting to get nervous. Where was he? He would’ve told her if he left, right? Suddenly, one last place to look for him came to her mind. There was a balcony at the other end of the hall, the perfect place to look down at the small garden of the estate.

She began to walk towards it quickly, ignoring the people who tried to talk to her. Pepper always just smiled politely and continued to walk. Right now, it really wasn’t easy to look carefree. But there were many journalists present and she didn’t want them to think that something was wrong.

When she saw the familiar figure standing on the balcony, she breathed in deeply. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her carefully.

“I should have thought that you would come here sooner.” Pepper said when she stood next to him. “It would have saved me many questioning looks in there.” He wasn’t looking at her and Pepper touched his arm carefully. “Are you alright? I know that it wasn’t easy for you to listen to that conversation.”

“But she was right, wasn’t she? I did that to all those people. And then I just moved on. Started something new, I built the reactor and the suit, started to be Iron Man. And then there are the Avengers…”

“You’re doing so much good in this world, Tony.” Pepper whispered and squeezed his hand. It was cold. “You’ve saved so many people as Iron Man. And together with the Avengers, you saved even more. And you regret what you’ve done before. You suffered so much because of it. We never really talked about it before, but I know it.”

Finally, he looked at her. The sad expression on his face nearly broke her heart. “But is it enough? Am I really doing enough, Pep? You’ve heard it yourself, there are still so many people fighting, so many wars. Innocents are dying. Can’t we do more to save them? “

“You’re already doing something.” She said immediately. “You’re fighting to make the world a better place every day. With all your inventions and your plans. And most importantly, you give the people hope. Iron Man gives them hope. What would we be without that?”

Slowly, a small smile spread on his lips. “It sounds so good when you say it like that.”

“You are a good person, Tony. And everyone who counts knows it. Don’t let people like that make you think something different.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, Tony.” she whispered and kissed him. She tried to put all her feelings in that kiss, the love she felt for him, how proud she was and how important he was to her. What would she be without him? Could she even be without him?

Suddenly, his arms are at her waist and he kissed her back. When they parted, he was smiling slightly. “You’re amazing. And I love you too, Pep.” He sighed. “I’m sorry that I let her get to me like this. It’s just that I’m thinking about everything a lot at the moment and then something like this just… it caught me off guard, I think.”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s not a bad thing that you can’t just shrug something like that off easily. It means that you’ve changed. And you have changed very much in those past months, Tony. And besides, I know that those times haven’t been easy. I was also close to pour my drink at her.” She touched his cheek carefully.

He closed his eyes at the contact. “I think it’ll get easier again soon. And then I’ll also be able to ignore something like that again.” He opened his eyes slowly. “You wanted to do what? I didn’t expect that from you.”

She chuckled. “Maybe I’m also still a little stressed at the moment.”

His expression became softer. “Do you want to go home?”

She thought about it for a moment and shook her head. “We didn’t dance yet. Unless you want to leave. After everything that happened…”

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and kissed her again. “Let’s give the people something to talk about.” He breathed in deeply and just like that, he looked happy again. Maybe not completely carefree, but his eyes were shining when everyone stared at them when they stepped onto the dancefloor. Pepper smiled widely as well.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Later that night, Tony was lying in bed and stared at the ceiling. Next to him, Pepper was already sleeping peacefully. The rest of the evening had been good. They had been dancing and holding Pepper in his arms while everyone else was looking at them was the best feeling he’d had for quite some time. However, they didn’t talk to many people anymore. Every time someone approached them, Pepper tried to block it or Tony was just too lost in thought to follow the conversation. Of course he still smiled at everyone widely (the dancing with Pepper had really cheered him up), but his thoughts often wandered back to the conversation with Anna (he didn’t know her last name and he also didn’t care). 

Right now, he was also thinking about it again.  _But he doesn’t care about it either way, does he? After all, he’s better than everyone else in this room. And he’s also an Avenger. Which makes him even more popular. Save the world once and everyone forgets that you’re a monster, right?_ Her words echoed through his head. Since when did he care about stuff like that? Normally, he’d always shrugged those things off. Somehow, he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Maybe Steve’s moral code was already influencing him as well. 

He wasn’t a monster, was he? He tried to save the world, to make it a better place. He wanted to  _help_ people. That’s what he was doing, as Tony Stark and also as Iron Man. Yes, he’d made mistakes in the past. Big mistakes, like producing weapons for years. Weapons that were better than the ones everyone else made, which made it also easier to hurt people with them. He really thought that he was doing enough to undo the damage he’d made. 

And what if it wasn’t enough? Could he help those people who suffered from the war? It wasn’t like he could just go out there and every war in this world, it wasn’t that easy. New York had proven that. There were always new threats, some of them even more dangerous than a few people with weapons who were shooting at each other. And shouldn’t they protect the world from those bigger threats? That was the task of the Avengers, right? And he was an Avenger.

But when they took care of that, who helped everyone else? Could  _he_ figure out a way to help those people? Maybe even with his technology, so that no one else had to get hurt? It would be a huge task and it would take much time and energy, he knew that. But it would be possible, wouldn’t it? 

Maybe he should talk about this with Steve. He always knew about right or wrong. And he had so many ideas how to help others. And he’d tell Tony if he was beating himself up about something he couldn’t change either way. Steve had a very realistic way to see things, even if he also wanted to help everyone. He was a soldier. And soldiers knew what had to be done first. Whereas Tony was just… himself. Yes, he was a genius, he had enough money to do everything he wanted and he was Iron Man, which many people envied him for. But was there anything else? Was he a good person? Or did he just believe that all those years, ever since he became Iron Man?

He looked at Pepper next to him. She believed that he was a good person. And she even loved him, even if he still didn’t understand why, the years hadn’t changed that. She was the best thing that ever happened to him. And he nearly lost her many times. Because Iron Man was so important to him. Which meant that helping others was important to him. He hadn’t been able to stop it. Trying to live without a suit had gone completely wrong. Which had caused him to nearly lose her again. And yet here they were, together. They had been at this charity event together and, except for the conversation about him being a terrible person, it had been nice. In the car, he’d let JARVIS check the news and they were already on top of the lists. Together with that nice picture of them after they got out of the car, he’d told JARVIS to get it for him. They really looked good together, especially Pepper in that dress. His actual plan when they got home had been to rip it off of her, but somehow, they both hadn’t been in the mood anymore…  _He_ hadn’t been in the mood for it. On their way home, Pepper had still tried to cheer him up, without success. She knew that even if he’d been smiling and laughing, those things were still on his mind. The dancing had been fun and it had really made him happy, but when all those people were gone and reality got him back… He hadn’t been able to smile and be happy anymore. 

And they also didn’t talk about it again before they got to bed.

Suddenly, the realization hit him. He hadn’t been able to stop being Iron Man, not even for Pepper, the most important person in his life. Which meant that he wanted to help people. He couldn’t live without this anymore. And that made him a good person, in many ways. He was Iron Man. And one of the Avengers.  _You give the people hope. Iron Man gives them hope. And what would we be without that?_ Pepper had told him. He sat up in bed, carefully not to wake Pepper and ran a hand through his hair. 

People could talk how much they wanted. They could say about him whatever they wanted too. They didn’t know a thing about him. About his fears and dreams, about the things that were important to him. The people who were important to him.  _You’re a good person, Tony. And everyone who counts knows it._ Pepper had been right all along. 

Tony felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. With a smile, he looked at Pepper again. Just to find her awake, looking at him with concern in her blue eyes. “You should be sleeping.” he whispered softly.

“While you’re lying here awake all night?” She asked and shook her head. “I couldn’t sleep either. Are you alright?” She frowned and sat up as well. “You’re smiling.”

He chuckled softly. “Seems so, doesn’t it?”

“Did you figure it out?”

Now it was his time to frown. “Figure out what?”

“That you’re not a monster?” Pepper took his hand and squeezed it. “Because you are many things, Tony, but not a bad person.”

“Yeah, if you say it like this, then I’ve figured it out.” He admitted slowly.

“And what’s your conclusion?”

“I couldn’t stop being Iron Man, even if I’ve tried very hard. Which means that I can’t stop helping people. I can’t stand it to know that people are suffering, I have to help them when the possibility’s there. And that doesn’t make me a bad person, right?” He hesitated. “Even if I don’t know how it’s been before.”

“Before what?” Pepper asked carefully.

“Before Afghanistan.” He muttered. She had been right, they never really talked about all those things. Of course Pepper knew what happened to him, but he never told her how he felt about it. How his nightmares had haunted him the first months after his return. How they still haunted him sometimes, even if there were now other dreams that were more terrible. “People keep saying I’ve been an asshole. To be honest, I really have been an idiot. Self-obsessed, not caring about the opinion of others, you know that stuff.” But did that really change? Probably not that much. After all, he was still Tony Stark. And he didn’t behave good all the time.

“Back then, you also haven’t been a bad person, Tony.” Pepper muttered. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you.” She kissed his cheek and he turned his head so their lips met.

“I didn’t know that you’ve liked me back then.” He muttered and ran his hands down her bare arms, enjoying the feeling of her skin.

“I did. Maybe not as much as after that, but I’ve been clearly in love with you. A crush on my boss, how stupid.” She smiled, thinking about the old times. When everything had been easier and more complicated at the same time.

“And I’ve not just hired you because of your skills.”

“Seems like we’ve both been stupid.” She kissed him again.

“Completely stupid. But did that change?” His hands wandered to her back and to the hem of her shirt.

“Possibly not.” Her lips were on his throat now and he closed his eyes. “I’m glad that you see it like this.” She said suddenly. “That you’re not thinking about it anymore. I couldn’t stand it, hearing her talk to you like this.”

“You know that I’m used to stuff like this.”

“Normally, you just laugh about it. This time it was different, I saw it from the look on your face. It really bothered you.”

“You know me too well, Pep.” He muttered.

“I do. And I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Will you fire him? Ben? For what his wife said to you?” He could see the concern in Pepper’s eyes. She seemed to like that man and Tony knew that he was an important trading partner of SI.

“You want to keep him.” He muttered. “He seems to be valuable to the company. And you like him.”

“He’s always very nice and patient. And he doesn’t get annoyed when you suddenly change a plan that has already been made for weeks. You don’t find people like that very often.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “My company, I can change plans when I want it.”

“We agreed to talk about it before you do it, though.” She threw in.

“Yeah, seems like we did.” He kissed her cheek. “You can keep him. Besides, I don’t even know his last name anymore. Firing him just with Ben would be difficult, I bet SI has more people who own that name.” He winked at her.

Pepper laughed. “You’re impossible.”

“You love me.”

“I do.” She kissed him again, more urgent this time. “Let’s not do something like this again.”

“What do you mean?” He whispered, his hands slowly starting to unbutton her shirt.

“Going to an event like this. Yes, you should also make public appearances. But not when it ends like this. And I didn’t like your reporter friend very much too. I also didn’t like the way he talked to you.”

“Since when are you so protective of me?” He muttered when he was finally able to wrap his arms around her bare skin.

“I’ve always been. You just didn’t notice it.” She replied and sighed when his lips wandered to her neck.

“I _did_ notice it. But not like this.” 

“You’ve said it yourself, we’re a team. Which means that we look after each other.”

Slowly, he leaned back and looked into her eyes. She was smiling at him which made his heart beat even faster. “My Pepper, you’re amazing.” He whispered and kissed her again. When her hands began to push up his shirt, he thought that they really wouldn’t find much sleep that night. 


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next morning, Tony and Pepper were sitting in the kitchen next to each other, a cup of coffee in front of them. As always, Steve was preparing breakfast while Natasha and Bruce had a quiet conversation at the other end of the table. When Steve started to prepare breakfast, Pepper had protested. However, Steve had just looked at them and shook his head. “You both look like you didn’t sleep at all last night. So you’re going to sit down, coffee will be ready soon. You seem to need it.”

And now they were sitting there, watching Steve doing things in their kitchen. It was true, they didn’t sleep very much last night. At the memory of it, Tony couldn’t keep the smile from his lips. He took Pepper’s hand and squeezed it. After the events from the previous evening, now everything seemed to be alright again. And tomorrow, they would leave for New York. Pepper had to go to the company again today, she still needed to deal with some things concerning her absence. Luckily, Tony had convinced her that leaving early wouldn’t be necessary.

“Oh, look at that!” Natasha said loudly and held up her phone. “A picture of you, yesterday at the charity event. You were looking great together!” She showed them the picture Tony had already seen last night in the car and which was the background of his phone now.

“I want to see it as well!” Steve exclaimed and Natasha turned around her phone so that he could see it. Steve grinned. “Wow, that really looks good. Did you have a nice evening?”

Tony grinned immediately. “It was very good, you know that I always like to make an appearance on events like that. Especially when no one expects me to come.”

“He stole them the show, when we came in, all they talked about was Tony Stark.” Pepper added and rolled her eyes theatrically.

“And the most beautiful woman of the evening.” Tony kissed her cheek and grinned when she blushed.

“That’s not true. There were many others who also looked very good.” She protested.

“Nope. I don’t believe that.” He shook his head. “You’re always the most beautiful woman in the room.” He glanced at Natasha. “No offense.”

Natasha just laughed. “Not taken. And you’re right, you looked great, Pepper.” She looked at Tony. “You too, Mr. Stark.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Since when am I Mr. Stark again?”

“Wasn’t yesterday about that? Tony Stark making an appearance?” Nat repeated his own words.

He chuckled. “Not fair and besides, you know that I like to exaggerate. Yesterday was about us.” He said with a look at Pepper. It was true, they’d been there for themselves. No one would have expected that things went so wrong… But the dancing had been nice. “We’ve been dancing together.”

“There are pictures of that as well.” Bruce, who was reading something on Nat’s phone, informed them. “Here, look at it.”

It was true, apparently someone had made photos during the event as well. Most of the pictures showed Tony and Pepper together on the dancefloor, they were smiling at each other widely. Once, their faces were even so close to each other that it seemed like they wanted to kiss. Which they had done, on the dancefloor, in front of those people. One photo showed Pepper’s face while she was looking at Tony. Her expression showed so much love that it made Tony’s heart beat faster. He really didn’t deserve her, did he?  _Tony Stark and Pepper Potts together on the charity gala last evening_ the headline said. 

He kissed her on the cheek. “We really look good together. JARVIS, I need those pictures.”

Pepper laughed. “And what will you do with them?”

“Frame them? They would look good in the living area.”

“ _Shall I save them on your private server, Sir?_ ” JARVIS asked. 

“That would be great JARVIS, and on my phone, please.” Tony said with a smile.

Not long after that, breakfast was ready and Thor joined them. He was looking restless, which wasn’t a surprise. Ever since he returned to them and they didn’t have much to do, Thor was feeling useless. While Natasha spent time with Bruce, Clint was reading books and Steve was doing his workouts on the beach, Thor didn’t have anything to do. He couldn’t contact Jane anymore since she was busy. Sometimes, he talked with the others about Asgard, joined Steve in his workouts or watched TV. Nevertheless, he didn’t seem to be happy. Maybe he’d get better soon, when they were back in New York and planning their next step against Hydra.

Now that they were all there, Tony decided to talk about it. “Tomorrow, we’ll return to New York.” He announced what everyone already knew.

“Finally! All this waiting makes me impatient.” Thor exclaimed loudly.

“And you will join us, Pepper?” Steve asked and smiled at her.

She nodded. “I will have a look at the Stark Industries facilities in New York.” After those words, she glanced at Tony. Of course the others knew that it wasn’t the main reason why she went with them. He grinned.

“Happy will come with us too.” He would look after Pepper while Tony was busy with the Avengers and he was glad about it. The thought that she would be there alone made him shiver. Ever since the incident with the Mandarin and Extremis, Tony felt sick when Pepper wasn’t with him.

“And then we’ll start planning our next steps.” Steve said thoughtfully. “And since we already have an idea where we’ll start, I think you won’t have to wait too long anymore until we make the next move against Hydra.” The last sentence was directed at Thor who nodded contentedly.

“And we’ll have to think about something concerning our main problem.” Tony added.

“You mean _your_ main problem.” Thor threw in. 

He sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. They had already discussed this. “No, I mean  _our_ problem. It concerns you too, since without communication we’ll not be able to do too much.” 

“He’s right, Thor. We need our technology, it’s not just Tony.” Bruce explained, trying to erase the tension between them.

Thor held up his hands. “You’ve already explained all that, I understand why this is important to you too. Even if you won’t get crushed as easily without technology as Tony. I won’t say anything else.”

Next to Tony, Pepper flinched. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and looked at Thor angrily. “Not helping.” He muttered and tried to look at Pepper, but she was just staring at her hands on the table.

“Maybe we should discuss this later.” Natasha threw in and they started to talk about something else quickly. Tony didn’t listen to their conversation, he just heard pieces like beach and swimming.

He touched Pepper’s hands on the table carefully. “Hey Pep, are you alright?” He whispered and hoped that no one was listening to their conversation.

Pepper breathed in deeply and closed her eyes for a few moments before she nodded. Finally, she looked up at Tony. “I’m fine. And that was stupid, I’m sorry.”

He shook his head and kissed her cheek quickly. “No, it wasn’t. Not at all. I get it.” He really did, the constant worry and everything that came along with it. “And don’t apologize, it’s not necessary.”

She nodded and slowly, she relaxed again. The look which was directed at him now told him that they would talk about this later, when they were alone. He bowed his head, telling her that he understood that she didn’t want to talk about it now.

About five minutes later, Pepper excused herself. “I need to go to Stark Industries, there are a few things I have to deal with before I leave.” She explained when Steve asked her why she already had to go. “After all, being the head of a company goes along with big responsibility.” She said it lightly and Tony would have nearly believed her that she was alright again. The others seemed to believe her. Tony was about to leave the kitchen with her when Thor stood up.

“I’m sorry, Pepper. I didn’t think about the things I was saying. And I didn’t want to offend you in any way.” He apologized formally. Again, Tony was surprised by the Asgardian. Even after the months he’d spent with Thor by now, he could still surprise him.

Pepper smiled at him. “It’s fine, it was nothing.”

When she left the room, Tony smiled slightly at Thor. “That was nice. But make sure something like that doesn’t happen again when she’s around, will you?”

Thor nodded seriously. “I know that it’s not easy for both of you. I’ll be more careful, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Tony said and followed Pepper to the door.

Happy came about ten minutes later and Pepper left with him for LA. However, Tony stayed at home with the rest of the Avengers. He was still feeling tired. He really needed some sleep, maybe then the last thoughts of the accusations Anna had thrown at him the previous evening would vanish as well. So he excused himself, went to the bedroom again and fell asleep the moment he laid down on the bed.

* * *

He woke up about three hours later, it was nearly noon. Sleeping had been a good idea, his mind was clearer again. When he came into the living room about ten minutes later, Tony was surprised to find only Steve there, sitting on the couch.

“Where are the others?” He asked and sat down next to Steve.

“On the beach. They wanted to go swimming.” Steve explained and put the book he’d been reading down on the table.

“Why didn’t you join them?” Tony raised his eyebrows. It was a beautiful day and very warm for this time of the year.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you.” Steve looked at him for a few moments. “You’re looking better than this morning.”

Tony chuckled. “I really needed some sleep. We’ve been very late last night.”

“But it’s not just that, isn’t it?” Steve asked slowly and frowned. “Something’s wrong. It’s not just the way Pepper reacted when Thor said those things, I get that it’s still difficult for her. And I bet that it won’t get easier. For you as well. Before Natasha showed you the pictures, you’ve been very quiet and that’s unusual for you.”

“Well, in the past weeks, I’ve often been quieter, haven’t I?” Tony asked immediately. Steve really used to notice everything. Apparently, they hadn’t been as good at hiding it as they wanted. However, he doubted that he could convince Steve that the last evening had been good anymore. Once his friend got a hint that something was wrong, he didn’t stop asking until he knew the truth.

Steve shook his head. “Not since you and Pepper got back together. In the past days, you’ve been incredibly happy.” He leaned back on the sofa and crossed his arms. “Do you want to talk about it?” Steve, polite as always. Tony could say no and he would drop the subject. But did he want it? He already talked to everything about Pepper, but maybe Steve could understand him better…

He ran a hand through his hair and before his mind could fully process what was happening, he’d already told Steve the whole story. About Thomas and, most importantly, about Anna and her accusations. And he also told him about his conversation with Pepper and how he came to the conclusion that Anna had been wrong. “I want to help people and I’m doing what I can. I don’t know if that already makes me a good person, but I can’t be entirely bad either.” He finished his explanations.

While Tony had been talking, Steve just listened to him silently, a neutral expression on his face. However, there had been something in his eyes when Tony told him about Anna’s accusations. Was it anger? And then later worry, when Tony admitted how much her words hurt him?

Now Steve was smiling at him. “Seems like you figured it out all by yourself.” Suddenly, his expression became serious and he leaned forward. “And you  _are_ a good person, Tony. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Pepper had been right, everyone who counts knows this. That woman has been angry and hurt. All the pain that she’s seen has made her furious and you were the first person she could tell all this. You shouldn’t take it personally. I know that it’s hard, I had to learn that lesson too.” 

“Not too long ago I’ve been able to ignore all this.” Tony muttered.

“The past months – no, the past _years_ have been difficult for you, Tony. And that changes us, if we want it or not. Ever since we first met, you’ve changed. Back then, I would have never believed that you would be my best friend in the future.” A small smile appeared on Steve’s lips when he thought of the first time they’ve met, trying to catch Loki. 

“You thought that we’d never stop arguing, then?” Tony asked and smiled slightly.

Steve chuckled. “Something like that. To be honest, I’ve been unfair. When I think about it again, they’ve told me horrible stories about you ever since I woke up. And of course I believed them instead of getting to know you myself.” He shrugged. “And then we met and the circumstances weren’t that good and with Loki and the scepter… I really thought you were like they’ve always told me. Selfish, arrogant and that you didn’t really care about others.”

Tony shook his head. “I haven’t been very nice back then, that’s true. I haven’t been too fond of whole Avengers Initiative first, probably because Fury just wanted me as a consultant. And SHIELD has never been my best friend either…” He ran a hand through his hair. “And I didn’t really know what to think of you. I mean, my  _dad_ has kind of loved you. He used to talk so much about you and then we met and I was just…” He sighed. “I’ve been an idiot.” 

“We both made mistakes.” Steve corrected him firmly.

“And look at us now.” Tony said with a smile.

“Everything has changed in the past years.” Steve said thoughtfully.

He nodded. “And it’s still changing. I think it’ll never stop.”

“It won’t.” Was Steve’s simple reply.

They sat there in silence for some time, both lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, something else came to Tony’s mind. “Any news from Sam?”

This caught Steve’s attention. He’d been looking out of the window and now he turned to Tony again. “Actually, we’ve talked this morning.”

“Is he still following him?”

Steve nodded and now he looked concerned. “Sam says it’s difficult. With the information from JARVIS, he’s been able to follow Bucky to Canada. He could follow him to Yellowknife, that’s a city far in the north. However, he lost the trace after that. Apparently, Bucky is still heading north.”

Tony frowned. “What on earth does he want there?”

Steve looked troubled. “Maybe there’s been some kind of Hydra base, like the place they’ve kept him all those years.”

“But why should he return there?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. But maybe he’s looking for something. Information about his past? About the things they did to him?” Steve sounded hopeful. Tony knew he believed that Bucky would recognize him when they met again. Tony had his doubts about that and he knew that Sam didn’t believe it too, after all, he’d been there when they’ve been fighting him the first time. And when he talked about this to Nat, she also didn’t look convinced. It was true, Bucky didn’t kill Steve back then. But what would he do if they met again? When the time was there, Tony would be at Steve’s side. And if Bucky tried to hurt his friend, he would do everything to protect him.

“Hydra will be looking for him.” Tony said slowly. They’ve also talked about this before. What if Hydra found Bucky before they did? And what if they turned him into the mindless Winter Soldier again? Maybe Bucky wasn’t just on his way north because he wanted to find out something about his past. Maybe Sam wasn’t the only one following him?

“Sam didn’t notice anyone until now, he’s keeping his eyes open. And now that he lost the trace of Bucky, he looks for people that don’t belong into that city. Apparently, Bucky stayed there for a few days in a small hotel. Sam was able to find the trace. When Hydra’s looking for him, they’ll find it as well.”

“And Sam will see those people when they approach the hotel.” Tony muttered. “Clever idea.”

Steve nodded. “I hope Sam doesn’t get in trouble.”

“I think he’s proven many times by now that he can look after himself.” Tony said slowly, trying to reassure him.

“I know that, Tony. But it’s just… I don’t want him to get hurt because he’s doing this for me.” A pained expression appeared on Steve’s face. “And when we find Bucky and confront him, you’ll be with us as well and then you could also get hurt. And what about Pepper when something happens to you? She would never –“

“Stop that.” Tony interrupted him loudly, his voice hard. “Don’t think like that. You are not responsible for our actions, Steve. It’s Sam’s decision to go after Bucky. And it’s my decision to stand by your side when we face him.” He looked at him for a few moments. “We know the risks and how dangerous that man is. But that won’t stop us from helping you. Did you ever consider how Sam would feel when something happens to you? Or how I would feel? And all the others?” Slowly, Steve’s expression turned guilty. “You can’t face him by yourself, not when his mind is still clouded by Hydra. You _need_ our help, Steve.” He smiled at him. “You can’t get rid of us that easily.” 

After a few seconds of silence, Steve nodded slowly. “Sam said something similar to me.”

Tony grinned. “You see? Don’t try to go after him on your own. We’re in this together.”

“Somehow, I’m glad about it.” Steve admitted and looked down at his hands. “That I don’t have to face him alone.”

“Even Captain America needs help sometimes.”

“So does Iron Man.” Steve reminded him.

Tony laughed. “That’s why we’re a team.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve got an idea.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“When someone’s following Bucky, Sam just has to follow those people, right?”

Steve nodded. “Right. And he has to be careful because they shouldn’t see him.”

“Maybe there’s a way to track those people, if Sam really finds them.” He had invented something like that some time ago, together with Bruce. It was like a liquid, with very small, traceable particles inside.

“We don’t even know if Hydra’s after him.” Steve reminded him.

“JARVIS?” Tony asked loudly. “Can you look into the databases and try to find something about it?”

“ _I already did that while you were talking, Sir._ ” JARVIS answered immediately. Tony and Steve exchanged a look. Steve looked impressed, Tony grinned. 

“That’s great, what did you find?”

“ _In the past weeks, there has been someone looking for Bucky Barnes. The source is difficult to locate, it changes places. I suspect an algorithm that prevents me from tracking the server._ ” JARVIS informed them. 

“Can you find out if they’ve found out about the hotel?” Steve asked now.

“ _I can do that, though it will take some time._ ” JARVIS answered. 

Tony could sense Steve’s impatience. “Doesn’t matter, just try it, J.” He said loudly and smiled at the grateful look on Steve’s face.

“ _I will inform you when I find out more, Sir._ ” 

“Thanks, JARVIS.” Tony nodded. “When someone’s looking for him, JARVIS will find out everything about it. And when we’re in time, I can get Sam everything he needs to trace them. And when he follows them, maybe they’ll lead him to Bucky.”

“When we’re in time.” Steve whispered.

“Hey, don’t look so worried. It’ll be alright, I’m sure of that.”

Steve sighed. “I’m worrying too much?”

Tony nodded. “We both do.”

Steve’s lips twitched. “Seems like we’re good at it at the moment.”

“I don’t know if that’s something positive.” Tony admitted.

“You’re still thinking about that conversation yesterday evening, right?” Steve asked suddenly and caught Tony off guard.

He breathed in deeply. “No, it’s not that. Well, yes, kind of. I’ve been wondering if we could help all those people.”

Steve put a hand on his shoulder. “You know that we can’t help anyone.”

Tony nodded. “Of course I do.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I would also like to stop all the fighting in this world. But it’s impossible, there will always be knew wars. New attacks. You can’t see everything before it happens and just stop it…” Suddenly, Steve stood up. “Come on, we need to get out of here. I heard that today’s the perfect day to go swimming.”

Tony’s eyes widened. “You want to go to the beach with the others? And swim?”

Steve nodded. “We will do that.” He said and his tone didn’t leave space for an argument. “And once we’re back in New York, I’ll teach you how to fight without your suit. Since we came here, we’ve neglected that.”

Tony hesitated. “Alright. But swimming?” Honestly, he didn’t mind swimming in the ocean. He’d liked it when he was younger. That was before the Arc reactor and the huge scar covering his chest now. Except from the doctors, only Pepper had seen it. And she didn’t care. But what would his friends say?

Again, Steve seemed to know what Tony was thinking. “We all have our scars.” He said simply and smiled. “We’ve all seen you with the reactor in your chest. What’s different now?”

Good question. Was this different? They were his friends. No one else could see them on the beach right outside his house.

“It will be fun.” Steve tried to convince him again.

Tony stood up and followed him.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

In the evening, Tony was standing on the balcony of his house and looked at the ocean. The evening at the beach with the others had been fun and to his surprise, no one had even looked at the scar on his chest. So Steve had been right, his friends didn’t care.

Pepper and Happy returned very late, there had been many things to deal with at Stark Industries. Steve had already prepared dinner, which had been very good (as always). Then Pepper and Natasha began to talk about clothes and such things, Nat had asked Pep to go shopping with her in New York. Tony didn’t really understand why since Natasha never cared about something like that, but he suspected that it had something to do with Bruce and how close they were lately. Bruce had excused himself after dinner, when Tony left the kitchen he’d seen him on the couch with a book in his hands. And he didn’t know what Steve, Clint and Thor were doing. Probably watching an action movie or something like that.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the last sunbeams on his face. It would get colder soon and New York wasn’t as beautiful as Malibu. And then they would have to face Hydra again and Tony just knew that something would go wrong… Ever since they discovered the base in Alaska without the technology, there was this strange feeling in his stomach. He couldn’t just shrug it off, it always returned. Maybe he should talk to the others about it once they were back at the Tower.

And he would have to ask JARVIS if there were news of Bucky soon, he doubted that it would take him very long to get into Hydra’s files. And Sam couldn’t stay in that small town in Canada forever… Maybe it was time to build the new Avengers facility, the Compound. That would be a good idea. The space in the Tower was limited, especially since SHIELD was there too. A place just for the Avengers sounded tempting…

“JARVIS, make sure to get me the names of a few companies who can start building the facility north of New York soon.” He muttered, then he couldn’t forget that. “And please someone who’s reliable.”

“ _Yes, Sir. I will send you the data as soon as possible._ ” JARVIS announced and Tony nodded slowly, even though no one was there to see it. 

He couldn’t tell how long he’d been standing there when the door opened. He recognized Pepper’s steps immediately. “Did you solve the problem with the clothes?” He asked without looking at her.

“Yes, we’ll go shopping next week. I think this is about Bruce, she wants to look beautiful for him. Which is stupid because she’s always looking good.” He knew that Pepper rolled her eyes right now.

“People do crazy things when they’re in love.” He replied simply.

“They do.” Pepper agreed. “Natasha told me that they were swimming this afternoon. And that you and Steve joined them.” She sounded surprised.

“Yeah, Steve convinced me to come.” Slowly, he turned his head to look at her. She had a thoughtful expression on her face, as if she was trying to figure something out.

“I would have never expected you to do something like that.” She admitted carefully.

He chuckled. “Me neither. But you know Steve. He can be very convincing when he wants. And of course he said ‘no one cares about your scar’ and stuff like that. And I needed a distraction, so…” He shrugged. “It was nice.”

Pepper smiled. “I’m glad that you had fun. You really needed it.”

He nodded. “Sometimes even I have to stop worrying about everything, right?” He said it lightly.

Pepper’s smile faded and now she looked concerned. “You’re not alright.” She whispered and he sighed. He’d known immediately that he couldn’t hide this from her.

“I talked to Steve about last evening.” He admitted and continued before Pepper could interrupt him. “He said the same as you did, that I’m a good person and that I’m helping others. And that’s everything that counts.” He smiled slightly. “And of course we discussed Bucky again, seems like Sam’s lost the trace. But maybe there’ll be a way to get it back, JARVIS is on it.”

“That doesn’t sound bad. So what’s bothering you?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling, you know? That something bad is going to happen. I can do whatever I want, it won’t leave me…” He shrugged. “Probably I’m overreacting.”

She touched his arm carefully. “When you’ve got doubts about something, you should tell the others. In all those years, I’ve learned that your feelings rarely betray you when it’s about something like that.” She was smiling reassuringly now. “It’s about the thing in Alaska, right? When you won’t be able to use all your inventions.”

He nodded. “You know me so well.”

“I know that something like this won’t leave your mind. You hate feeling useless.”

“I do.” He agreed. “We really need to look at that one closely before we make a move.”

She nodded. “It’ll be alright, I know it.”

He forced a smile on his lips. “Yeah, probably you’re right.” Why did he have the feeling that it would end in disaster?

We wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. “I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” Pepper answered immediately. They stood there like that for some time, neither wanting to move. However, he noticed that Pepper started to shiver.

“We should get inside.” He muttered.

“It’s late already. And we’ll leave early tomorrow.” She agreed. “And I could really use some sleep. After all, I couldn’t just go to sleep again after breakfast.”

Slowly, he looked up again. “Then let’s go.”

* * *

When they were in bed, Tony looked at Pepper questioningly. “About this morning…” He began hesitantly, but she cut him off.

“It was nothing.”

“Didn’t look like nothing.” He argued.

“I’ve been stupid. You know that something like this doesn’t bother me. It’s just… Everything’s been so difficult lately and I’m stressed ever since. There’s this fear of losing you, like _really_ losing you forever and it’s always on my mind, especially now when I just got you back. And soon you’ll leave again with the Avengers and you’ll risk your lives. And the last time everything went wrong, when you showed up here.” She was talking fast now, trying to get the words out before. “Do you even know how bad you all have been looking? You’ve been covered in blood and bruises and they’re still there, fading slowly. And Natasha nearly _died_ and it could have also been you…” 

It looked like she wanted to say even more, but Tony silenced her with a kiss. “It’s alright, Pepper.” He whispered. “I get it.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Something like that won’t happen again, next time we’ll be more careful, I promise.”

“Don’t promise me something you can’t keep.” She muttered.

He sighed. “Fine. But it won’t happen again, I’m sure of that.”

She was silent for some time. “Just be careful.” She whispered finally.

He kissed her again. “I promise.”

* * *

Pepper and Happy decided to fly to New York with the Avengers in their jet instead of using the private Stark Industries plane. Somehow, it made Tony happy to know that Pepper preferred to stay with him instead of using the comfortable plane. Now they were all sitting in the jet and Clint was the one navigating. Thor was just telling a story about an adventure of him and Loki about one hundred years ago (when Loki wasn’t evil) and the others were laughing when Tony’s phone vibrated. He turned to Steve who was sitting next to him. “JARVIS sent me the data of Hydra. I’ll have a look at it.” He stood up and walked away from the others, ignoring the questioning looks of Pepper and the others. He knew that Steve didn’t want everyone to know about this. Well,  _nearly_ everyone in this jet already knew about it, except for Clint, Bruce, Thor and Happy. 

He skipped through the files until he found something interesting. “JARVIS, when was this updated?” He muttered thoughtfully and put in his earphones so that the others wouldn’t hear JARVIS’ voice.

“ _About twenty minutes ago, Sir. I was able to decode it the moment they uploaded it._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

“I’ll tell Steve.” He muttered and gestured the other man to come closer. Steve, who’s already been watching Tony, stood up immediately. He ignored the questions of the others too.

“Here, look at this.” Tony whispered and handed Steve his phone. He’d skipped most of the file and now there were just the most important key words on the screen.

“They found the hotel.” Steve muttered, excitement in his voice.

Tony nodded. “And from what JARVIS found out, Hydra will be there in about six hours.”

“Can we get there faster?” Steve asked hopefully. “You have the tracer, don’t you?”

Tony nodded. “Of course, wouldn’t forget something like that, would I?” He smiled slightly but turned serious again after that. “It’d take too long for the jet. However, I can be there faster.” He added when Steve’s expression turned from excited to disappointed.

“You can?”

Tony nodded. “I’ve added a few extras to the suit lately.”

“I thought you were working on a new one?” Steve asked and raised his eyebrows. He made a vague gesture with his hand towards Tony’s chest. “You know, the one in the reactor you’ll carry on your chest again?”

“That one’s also nearly finished. But it’s in New York.” He grinned. “In the past days, when I repaired my suit, I added a few things. Thought it could be useful.”

“When did you find the time for that?” Steve shook his head in disbelief.

“Right after I fixed your gauntlets.” Tony replied immediately. “But let’s talk about that later, if you want Sam to follow them, I’ve got to leave now.” He glanced at the others. “What will you tell them?”

Steve sighed. “Probably I should tell them the truth.” He admitted and ran a hand through his hair (a gesture he’d copied from Tony).

“Good idea. They’ll understand it. I’ll say hello to Sam from you.” Tony muttered and clapped his hands. In the corner, the Iron Man suit began to move towards him. Unfortunately, it had also ripped the others out of their conversation.

“What’s going on?” Bruce asked and looked at them questioningly. “You’ve been standing there in the corner and talking and now it looks like you want to leave?”

Pepper’s concerned face bothered Tony, but he just shrugged and smiled lightly. “Emergency, I’ve got to get going. Steve can explain it to you. I’ll meet you at the Tower. This evening.”

“This evening?” Now Pepper stood up slowly. “But Tony…” She began and he nodded.

“Yeah, I know. It’s not even eight in the morning and I’ll be gone the whole day. As I said, Steve will explain it. Now I really need to leave.” The urgency in his voice made her fall silent. She just watched as he stepped into his suit. “See you later.” He turned around and jumped out of the jet.

* * *

When Tony left, Pepper turned to Steve and raised her eyebrows. “What was that about? Where is he going?” Steve could see the concern in her eyes and took a step towards her.

“It’s alright, Pepper. He’ll be back soon.” He looked at the others who were all watching them silently. Even Clint hat turned on the autopilot and stood there with crossed arms. “There’s something I’ve got to tell you.” He sighed and tried to smile. “Maybe we should all sit down again. This is going to take some time.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“So you want to tell us that your best friend, of whom you thought that he died nearly one hundred years ago, is still alive? And that they turned him into a killer machine whose actions can be controlled by Hydra? Oh and he tried to kill you?” Bruce frowned. “Looking for him doesn’t seem to be a good idea.”

Steve sighed and leaned back in his seat. They were still in the jet. After Tony left, Steve told them the whole story about Bucky, beginning by their friendship. Pepper had listened to it silently since she already knew the story. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Tony and how he’d just ignored her questioning looks right before he left. Of course she knew that he couldn’t just tell her why he had to leave, Steve didn’t want everyone to know the whole story. But couldn’t Tony just take her aside as well and tell her? It would have made her feel better about all this.

“He remembers me.” Steve said now. “Like I said –“

“The chance is small, but it’s there.” Natasha threw in. “And Steve already told you that he doesn’t want to face him alone. Tony and Sam will be with him when the time comes.” At the mentioning of Tony, Pepper’s heart began to beat faster. He might not be facing that man today, but they were so close to finding him…

“Why didn’t you tell us about this sooner?” Clint asked now, but his thoughtful gaze rested on Natasha, not Steve.

“I’m sorry about that, but it’s not easy to talk about all this.” Steve admitted with a sigh.

“You told Tony.” Thor threw in.

“Well, it wasn’t like he told him about it on his free will, was it? More like a series of coincidences.” Natasha said and smiled slightly. Steve had also told them about the way Tony found out about Bucky.

Thor frowned. “That’s true.” He muttered.

“The point is that this man is dangerous.” Bruce said slowly. “There might be a chance that he remembers you, but what if he doesn’t?”

“We need to find him either way. What happens then, I don’t know.” Steve admitted and sighed again. Pepper would have liked to comfort him in some way, but she wasn’t sure how. Tony already told her that Bucky’s fate weighed heavily on him. She was sure that Tony would know what to say. After all, he and Steve were very close now. Sometimes, she even thought that they were closer than Tony and Rhodey and he’s been Tony’s best friend for years…

“We can go with you when you face him.” Clint offered. “When he’s as dangerous as you say, it’d be good to have backup.”

Steve smiled. “That’s nice and I appreciate it, but it feels like something I have to do alone.”

“Not completely alone.” Natasha corrected him immediately.

Steve ran a hand through his hair. “That’s true. But I don’t want to put you all in danger. I think three people will be able to deal with Bucky. After all, we know what to expect, unlike last time.”

At those words, Natasha grimaced. “True.”

“Another problem ahead.” Bruce muttered and looked at Steve thoughtfully.

“Maybe the same problem, just another part of it?” Thor offered. “It’s also Hydra, after all.”

“Yes, but this feels a lot more personal…” Steve muttered darkly.

With those words, the conversation ended and they all sat there in silence for the rest of the flight, everyone lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

“Not weird at all.” Sam muttered and Tony looked up from the paper behind which he was hiding. “Sitting in a café with Tony Stark, waiting for the bad guys to show up.“

“Didn’t I tell you not to say that aloud?” Tony muttered and rolled his eyes. He’d arrived in Yellowknife about half an hour ago. Not wanting to attract too much attention, he’d met Sam in the forest outside of the town. His suit was waiting there for him and Sam had shown him the hotel. Luckily, Tony had his sunglasses with him and Sam had arranged a cap for him to wear. Otherwise, someone might have recognized Tony Stark walking through the streets and that was the last thing they needed right now.

“This place is nearly empty, there’s no one here to hear us.” Sam argued quietly.

Tony sighed. “Point for you.”

Sam grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was too tense. They had been lucky that the café wasn’t too crowded. Now they were sitting opposite of each other, with a good view of the hotel on the other side of the street. They would see everyone who entered that place. And that’s when Sam had to play his part. They had decided that he should go in since Tony might be recognized too easily. And then he just had to get close to the Hydra agents and use the tracer on him. The can was small and when he could get close to the people, it wouldn’t be difficult to mark them with the spray.

“I heard your trip to California didn’t end well?” Sam asked, apparently he was trying to do some small talk.

Tony looked over his newspaper again and raised his eyebrows. “I bet Steve already told you everything about it.”

Sam, now looking over his own paper as well, nodded. “He did. We talked very much, following the trace of someone who knows how to hide very well can get boring sometimes.”

“Especially when you’re sitting in a small town like this, waiting for something to happen?” Tony asked, smiling slightly, and Sam nodded.

“I really lost him here.” He didn’t sound happy with that.

“I’m sure our plan will work.” Tony said confidently.

“Because it’s your plan?”

“Partly.” He admitted.

“What if your tracer spray doesn’t work?” Sam asked slowly.

“It works.” Tony muttered. “We’ve tested it.”

“And also how long it works?”

“You have about two weeks.”

Sam nodded slowly. “I can work with that. It’s time that this journey ends either way. I hate cold weather.”

Tony chuckled. “Bad luck that all those places concerning him are in regions like that.”

“I just want to find him, tell you about it, deal with him and go home.” Sam explained. “I’m doing this for Steve, but that doesn’t mean that I like all of it.”

Tony looked out of the window silently for a few moments. However, the people who entered the hotel now just seemed to be tourists. A family, with kids. “What are you going to do after this? Steve turned your whole life around.”

Sam laughed quietly. “Yes, he did. And I don’t know.” He honestly in his words wasn’t easy to miss. “Maybe I’ll relax for some time, but I fear that the feeling of being useless might return…”

“Who knows, maybe we could use someone like you in the team.” Tony said and that’s when Sam dropped the newspaper completely.

“You’re joking, aren’t you?” He asked and when he saw Tony’s expression, he shook his head slowly. “You’re actually serious.”

Tony nodded. “Why not? Steve trusts you and I’ve seen you fight in those records. We could use someone like you.”

Sam was about to say something else, when a movement outside caught their attention. Three men in dark clothes were heading for the hotel, the looks on their faces serious.

“JARVIS?” Tony whispered and put on his sunglasses. JARVIS began to scan their faces immediately.

“ _They are agents from Hydra._ ” JARVIS confirmed his thoughts. By the way they looked, Tony would have known who they were even without JARVIS’ help. 

“Seems like it’s showtime.” He said to Sam, who stood up with a grin.

* * *

In the tower, Pepper made her way to the top floors she shared with Tony. She was surprised to see that nothing had changed since the last time she’d been there. Apparently, Tony didn’t spent much time there those past months. Everything looked clean, even too clean. And Tony was never this tidy…

In the bedroom, Pepper changed her clothes into something more comfortable. She just wanted to leave the room, when she noticed something standing on the bedside table. It was a picture of Tony and herself. She sat down on his half of the bed and looked at it more closely. She remembered the day it had been taken. They’d been in Malibu with Rhodey, it had been Pepper’s day off at work. And Rhodey just returned from a mission in Asia. It was the time before the whole story with the Mandarin happened… On the picture, she and Tony were standing on the balcony of their old house, his arms wrapped around her waist from behind. He was kissing her on the cheek and she smiled in to the camera, looking carefree. And he also seemed so relaxed. There weren’t dark rings under his eyes and the worry lines in his face haven’t been that deep yet…

She looked at the picture for a few minutes, before she finally stood up and made her way to the kitchen. The other Avengers weren’t there yet and somehow, Pepper was glad about it. Having them all around was nice, but sometimes it could also be exhausting. She sat down on the table and looked out of the window. Somehow, New York and this tower weren’t the same without Tony… But with Malibu, it was the same after all.

She heard the elevator opening but didn’t turn around. It was probably just Happy or one of the Avengers. The sound of high heels hitting the ground made her turn around immediately. And Pepper wished that she wouldn’t have come to the kitchen now, when the others weren’t around.

Maria Hill was walking towards her, wearing a tight, dark blue dress. Her hair was tied back and she was wearing makeup, something Pepper had never seen on her before. But to be honest, she’d only seen her once? Or maybe twice? She wasn’t so sure about that. What she knew was that she didn’t like this woman being around Tony. And her being his assistant was even worse.

“Mrs. Potts, it’s good to see you. I was just informed that the jet arrived. I expected you to be back sooner.” She was smiling widely at Pepper, but somehow the smile didn’t seem right.

Pepper forced a smile onto her own lips. “It’s Pepper, please.”

“Then it’s Maria.” She interrupted her before Pepper could say anything else. “Tony already informed me that you couldn’t come sooner because of Natasha’s injury.”

She was calling him Tony? A little presumptuous for an assistant.

“And he also told me that you would be coming. What brings you to New York?” She really hated that smile on her. Was she looking at Tony like this was well? Or wasn’t her smile fake then? And what did _he_ think of her as his assistant? He didn’t sound very happy when they talked about her back in Malibu… Or did he like her? She was pretty, wasn’t she? And Tony liked pretty women…

“I came here with Tony.” She replied calmly. She wouldn’t let this woman know that she didn’t like her presence. At least not yet. “And I will do some business visits for Stark Industries. I haven’t been here for some time.”

Maria Hill nodded slowly. “Where is Tony? There are a few things he needs to sign.” She held up the papers in her hand.

Pepper raised her eyebrows. “And what is to important?”

Maria’s smile became a little more forced. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you about it. It’s just for him.”

Pepper would have loved to roll her eyes, but she just kept smiling at the woman in front of her. “Well, then I have to tell you that I’m afraid he won’t be back until this evening. So you will have to talk to him tomorrow.”

Now she raised her eyebrows. “He didn’t come with you?”

Pepper shook her head. “Unfortunately, there was something else he had to deal with first. An emergency.”

Maria frowned and Pepper would have liked to laugh. Apparently, she didn’t like the news at all. As fast as her expression had darkened, the smile on her lips returned. “Can you tell me what is so important?” She asked politely.

“I’m afraid not. It’s personal.” Pepper answered slowly. “You will have to ask him yourself tomorrow.”

Maria Hill nodded. “I will do that. And I’ll also show him the papers then. And inform him about everything he missed during his absence.”

Pepper smiled. “I’m sure he’ll like that.”

“We always have very nice conversations.” Maria said and the expression on her face made Pepper’s blood boil. “I didn’t think that it would be so pleasant to be his assistant.”

She raised her eyebrows. “And why is that?”

“From what I’ve seen and heard before, I thought that Tony wouldn’t be the best person to work for. He’s too impulsive. Unpredictable.”

“You changed your mind about that?” Pepper tried to keep her voice neutral.

Maria laughed and shook her head. “God, no. But we get along well, he let’s me do my work and that’s all that counts.”

Pepper hoped that she would leave now. Or that Happy would finally come to the kitchen, or one of the others. She really didn’t like to be alone with Maria Hill anymore. And the way she talked about Tony… He didn’t like her, did he? She really was pretty, after all… And a fighter, she was a SHIELD agent… Didn’t Tony like women like that?  _Stop worrying about this, he loves you_ a voice in her head told her, but Pepper couldn’t stop the thoughts about Marie Hill. Not when said woman was still standing in front of her. 

“I heard that Tony dealt with an incident in one of the Stark Industries facilities in LA.” Maria Hill said. “And you went to a charity gala. You two looked very good together. He got a few invitations for events in New York as well, I considered not to show him those because he wasn’t too happy when I asked him about this last time. But maybe you would like to attend another event?”

At the thought of the charity gala, Pepper forced back a grimace. “I don’t think that will be necessary, one of those events at a time is enough.” She hoped that Maria wouldn’t see how stressed this theme made her.

“Then I’ll just throw them away. What a pity, Tony really looks handsome in a suit. In here, he’s mostly covered in oil or something like that. Also doesn’t look bad on him, but it smells.” Maria searched for one of the papers in her hands and folded it. “Then I don’t have to talk to him about this anymore.”

Pepper just stared at her silently. How dare she talked about Tony like this… And then in front of her. Yes, their relationship had been difficult in the past months, but didn’t she know about them? Did she decide to ignore that fact on purpose? She had to know that they were back together, after all, there had been pictures of them kissing in all of the papers…

“I hope that Tony feels better now that you’re here.” Maria said now, still busy with the papers. “He’s been absent-minded the past months. It hasn’t been easy to cheer him up. Not that I didn’t manage it, but either way…”

Luckily, she didn’t look at Pepper in this moment. Otherwise, Maria would have seen the murderous look on her face.

Before Pepper could reply anything, the door of the elevator opened again. This time, it was Happy. “I’m sorry that it took me so long, Steve caught me once we left the jet to talk about…” He hesitated when he saw Maria standing there. “He wanted to tell me something.”

Pepper smiled at him and this time, the smile was real. “Don’t worry about that, now that you’re here we can think about lunch. I bet the others are hungry as well.”

“Did someone mention food?” The elevator had stopped again and this time, the other Avengers were walking towards them. They all gathered around the table and began to think about which food they should order. Maria Hill was forgotten and when she left quietly, Pepper would have liked to laugh. However, there was still this strange feeling in her stomach. Did Tony really like her?


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Tell Steve that I’ll do everything to find him.” Sam said and Tony nodded slowly. They were standing in the forest outside of the town now, close to where the suit was hiding.

“No problem, we’ll keep in touch.”

Sam grinned. “I still have trouble believing this. Fist fighting alongside Captain America. And now I’m on a mission with Tony Stark.”

Tony grimaced. “Oh come on, it’s your mission. I just stopped by to help.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “From what Steve told me, I didn’t expect you to be modest at all.”

Tony grinned and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not.” he told him truthfully. “I’ll just tell you that you would have never been able to do all this without me when we found Bucky.”

Sam chuckled. Somehow, Tony liked this guy. “Deal.” He became serious again. “I hope I’ll be able to find him. Steve would be devastated if I fail.”

Tony shook his head. “He would understand that it’s not easy. Hell, he’s already beating himself up because he thinks that this is too much for you. And too dangerous.”

Sam shook his head. “Sounds like him.” He muttered slowly. Then he looked at the screen of the small device Tony had given him to follow the tracer. “They’re still sitting in that café.” He muttered.

“They’re planning their next steps.” Tony agreed.

After Sam had left the café, everything had happened in a haze. In the hotel, he acted as if he wanted to book a room and accidentally ran into the group of three Hydra agents, who were about to leave again. While doing that, Sam pushed an employee, who fell over a bunch of suitcases he’s been transporting. The chaos had been perfect. The employee, Sam and two of the three Hydra agents had been lying on the ground. It had been easy for Sam to use the tracing spray. 

However, the Hydra agents hadn’t been very happy about the encounter. Sam left quickly and when the three men headed for the café on the other side of the street, where Tony was still waiting, Tony left immediately, careful not to get too close to them. Then he and Sam met outside of town.

“I hope they’ll finish doing that soon.” Sam muttered. “It’s time that I’ll leave this place, strangers are far too striking here.”

Tony nodded. People had also glanced at him a few times. “I bet they’ll leave soon.”

Sam looked at Tony with a thoughtful expression for a few moments. “You can follow the tracer as well, can’t you?”

Tony grinned at him. “How do you come to that conclusion?”

“You invented it. And you would never let me go after them without knowing where they are heading to as well.”

Steve had been right, he was smart. “True. But don’t worry, we’ll not intervene unless it’s necessary. And then you’ll call us, right?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “I made that promise to Steve many times. And I can look after myself.”

Tony nodded. “I know. But Steve asked me to make sure that you’re careful.”

Now Sam chuckled. “He can be over-protective sometimes.”

“Especially when it concerns his friends.”

Suddenly, the device in Sam’s hand beeped. “Seems like you don’t have to wait any longer.” Tony said and looked at the small screen as well. “Seems like they’re heading for their car.”

“I should fetch my bike. I don’t want to lose them again.” Sam muttered and shoved the device into his pockets. “You’ll be going to New York?”

Tony nodded. “The others are already there, JARVIS informed me about it some time ago. And then we’ll plan out next steps.”

Sam nodded and smiled slightly. “Good luck. And tell Steve that I’m always careful.”

“I’ll do that. And good luck to you, too.”

Sam turned around and walked back towards the town, while Tony called his suit.

* * *

“You’re so quiet. Something wrong?” The voice made Pepper flinch. She was standing on the balcony and looked at the city. After lunch, she’d left the Avengers in the kitchen and came out here, needing to be alone for some time. The conversation with Maria Hill was still weighing heavily on her. Did that woman really like Tony? And did he like her back?

After all, Maria Hill was beautiful, smart and she was a fighter. Something Pepper would never be. And she was living in the same world as Tony, full of secrets and danger. They would fit together, wouldn’t they?

She forced those thoughts aside. Tony told her that he loved her. And he meant it, she’d seen it in his eyes. But what if Maria had been the one cheering him up while she was at LA? He’d never really mentioned her except once, when he’d told Pepper that she was his assistant now. Well, assistant on paper, he’d called her. Because unofficially, she was running SHIELD now.

Tony said that the Avengers had helped him through that time, especially Steve. And she believed him. However, the small voice inside her head with the doubts wouldn’t shut up anymore.

She didn’t look up when someone leaned on the railing next to her. “I’m fine, just tired.”

“You know that you can tell me what bothers you, Pepper.”

Slowly, she looked at the person standing next to her. Natasha was smiling, but there was a frown on her face. Pepper knew that look, she wanted to figure out what was wrong. “It’s nothing.”

Natasha sighed and the smile vanished. “Then I’ll just guess that this is about Tony.”  _What else?_ Pepper thought. 

“And how do you come to that conclusion?”

“You’re still trying to figure everything out, after all, you just got back together. And I know that it’s not easy, being with Tony.” Now Natasha looked at the city as well. The view from Stark Tower was always impressing. Pepper had nearly forgotten how it was to be here.

“This is not about Tony.” She protested. “Well, not completely.”

“You talked to Maria.” Natasha muttered, still without looking at her.

Pepper hesitated, not sure what to say now.

She smile on Natasha’s lips made her sigh. “Yes, I did.” Pepper admitted, even though her silence already answered Nat’s question.

“You knew that she’s his assistant now. She takes it very seriously, even though it’s just fake.”

Pepper nodded. “I’ve noticed.” She was surprised at the cold tone in her voice.

“Normally, she isn’t around very much. You don’t have to worry about that, she’s busy with SHIELD. She just comes to Tony when she needs his signature for something.” Natasha still sounded calm and Pepper knew that she liked Maria Hill. After all, they’ve been on missions together. And they were both close to Fury.

“Even for things like charity galas?” The words were out of Pepper’s mouth before she could stop herself. God, she was sounding like a teenager who was jealous for the first time!

Now Natasha raised her eyebrows. “No, why do you ask?”

Pepper sighed. “She had those invitations…” She shrugged. “And she said things about Tony… I know that I’m being stupid. Let’s just forget that, alright?”

Natasha narrowed her eyes. “You should stop thinking about her. I don’t know why she said all those things, but that really doesn’t sound like Maria at all. Maybe she just wanted to annoy you.”

Now Pepper raised her eyebrows. “Why should she do that?”

Nat shrugged. “It would annoy Tony.” She said simply. “And he’s not been very nice to her those past months.”

Now Pepper was really confused. By the way Maria had been talking about him, it sounded as if they’ve been close. And not as if they couldn’t stand each other. “What do you mean by that?”

Natasha laughed quietly. “You know how Tony can be when something bothers him. Those past months with him haven’t always been easy. He missed you and didn’t know how to fix things. That drove him crazy.”

Pepper looked at the city silently for a few moments, trying to process what Natasha just told her. She knew that Tony hadn’t been happy those past months, but that the others got to feel his anger and frustration… But why on earth would Maria Hill say those things to her? She just wanted to ask Natasha another question, when she grinned suddenly.

“Look who’s coming back.”

When Pepper followed her gaze, she understood what caught her attention. The familiar figure of the Iron Man suit appeared on the horizon and circled a few buildings, before it landed on the roof of the tower. Pepper couldn’t stop herself from smiling widely.

* * *

The first person Tony saw when he entered the building was Steve. He was looking at him expectantly and Tony grinned. “The plan worked, Sam’s following them now. And he could have also become an actor, his show at the hotel was brilliant.”

Steve smiled widely. “You have to tell me everything about it! Do you already know where they’re heading?” Together, they walked towards the kitchen.

“Give me a sec. JARVIS?” Tony asked and JARVIS’ voice echoed through the hallway.

“ _They are heading northeast from Yellowknife. The hydra agents exchanged their car against bikes for the snow. Mr. Wilson was able to catch up because of the delay._ ” 

“We’ve still got no clue where they want to go, right?” Steve asked loudly.

“ _Unfortunately, I could not find a possible destination for them yet. I am already scanning old Hydra files for possible places, but there are only a few options by now, and some of the places have already been destroyed._ ” JARVIS answered Steve’s question. 

“Keep going, J.” Tony muttered. “Otherwise, we’ll just have to wait and see what Sam finds.”

“ _Of course, Sir._ ” 

Steve sighed and when Tony turned to him, he saw the troubled look on his face.

“I should tell you from Sam that he’s always careful. You should stop worrying about him, he can look after himself.”

A small smile appeared on Steve’s lips. “I just don’t want him to get in danger because of me.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “It’s his choice, and mine too. We want to do this for you.”

Steve nodded slowly. “I still don’t understand how I found friends like you.”

Tony laughed. “You don’t have to understand it. Just accept it, Steve.”

Steve looked at him from the corner of his eyes. “You talked about me.” It wasn’t a question, so Tony just nodded.

“You’re always worrying too much. And I asked Sam what he wants to do when this whole business with Bucky is solved.” He admitted.

“And what did he say?” Steve asked, now looking at Tony observantly.

“He doesn’t know.” Tony repeated Sam’s words. “However, I said that our team could use someone like him.”

Steve’s eyes grew wide. “You would want him on the team?” He asked in disbelief.

Tony grinned. “Why not? He’s a good guy and I like him. We would have to ask the others, but I don’t see a problem there.”

Steve shook his head. “You never stop surprising me, Stark.” He muttered and tried to hide his excitement.

“And it’ll always stay like this, Cap.” Tony replied, still grinning.

* * *

In the kitchen, Bruce was sitting on a chair and read a book. Tony recognized it immediately, it was about physics and stuff like that, probably Bruce was already searching for a solution to their main problem in Alaska. Clint and Thor weren’t there, but he suspected that they were in the gym.

To his surprise, Natasha and Pepper came from the balcony and walked towards them. Nat sat down next to Bruce, while Pepper smiled at him. Tony smiled back at her, hoping that it didn’t look as insecure as he felt. After all, he’d just left without telling her anything. And he didn’t want to have another argument… He hated it when she was angry at him.

“How was your trip?” Pepper asked.

“Everything went as planned, Sam’s following them now.” At those words, Tony glanced at Bruce, but he didn’t seem to follow their conversation. And he was able to talk about Bucky openly now, Steve told the others everything on their way to New York. Somehow, Tony thought that it was about time. Keeping something that big from the others didn’t feel right…

Next to him, Steve cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you alone now. Dinner will be ready soon.” He told them and vanished into the cooking area.

Tony chuckled. “After all this time it’s still surprising that Captain America is our cook.” He looked at Pepper questioningly. “Want to go upstairs?”

She nodded. “That would be great.”

He held out his hand and she took it without hesitation. Instead of walking towards the elevator, Tony pulled her closer and wrapped his free arm around her waist. Pepper made a surprised noise, but Tony silenced her with a kiss. After a few moments, they let go of each other again.

When they reached the elevator, the door opened in front of them. It was Maria Hill, his assistant. In the past days, Tony had nearly forgotten about her.

“I saw the suit flying towards the tower and figured that you were back.”

Tony grinned and hoped that she wouldn’t notice that it was fake. “Very smart of you.” He said sarcastically. As always, she didn’t say hello and he didn’t bother with that anymore as well.

“There are a few papers you have to look at, Mr. Stark.” Maria said formally and for a few moments, her eyes rested on Pepper and their entwined hands.

Tony glanced at Pepper as well, just to see her tense. He couldn’t quite interpret the look on her face, but it wasn’t happy. Did he miss something about the two of them?

“Not now, Hill. It’s been a long day and I need some time for myself.” He muttered and waved with his free hand. “Tomorrow. My office. JARVIS will let you know when I have time. I can’t tell you when that will be yet.”

Maria didn’t look very happy. “Alright.” She breathed in deeply and then the wide smile on her lips was back. “Then tomorrow. I’ll see you then. Mr. Stark.” She turned to Pepper. “Mrs. Potts.”

When the elevator doors closed behind her, Tony sighed. Pepper was still tense and when he turned to her, she avoided to look at him. “Hey, Pep, what’s wrong?” He asked quietly. “I’m sorry about that, she can be exhausting sometimes. I’ll deal with her tomorrow and then she should leave me alone for a few days again.”

Pepper sighed. “You should have gone with her. Apparently, those papers are important.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “And when did I ever care about something like that? Now let’s go, before someone else wants to annoy us.” When they stood in the elevator, she was still tense. What the hell was wrong?


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Later that evening, Tony and Pepper were lying in bed together. After the conversation with Maria Hill, she had refused to tell him what was wrong, so they just changed the subject and talked about their plans for the next days. And soon, Steve had called them for dinner. The rest of the evening with the other Avengers had passed rather quickly.

“You just left.” Pepper whispered now, ripping him out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?” He asked, touching her cheek lightly. She closed her eyes and covered his hand with hers.

“On the jet. When you got the news from Sam. I understand why you didn’t want to talk about it. But…” She didn’t continue and Tony didn’t like the sad tone in her voice. And there was something else, which was new. He couldn’t quite place it. It had been there ever since Maria showed up. But why on earth did she bother Pepper so much? Tony didn’t even like her very much himself. This whole assistant business was just annoying. And dealing with her was exhausting. Couldn’t Pepper see that he wanted to get rid off her? 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered now. “I know I’ve been stupid, I should have told you what was going on. I just didn’t want to mention this in front of everyone, that’s right. It was Steve’s business to inform the others.”

“And he did.” Pepper muttered now.

Tony nodded. “He said they took it very well.”

“I just wish you would have told me about it. That you were heading to Canada. I’ve been worried.”

He kissed her. “It wasn’t dangerous, just a little help for Sam. So that he can go on with his search.”

“I know that.” Pepper muttered. “But when you don’t trust me with things like that…”

Suddenly, Tony began to feel cold. “What do you mean?”

“You just left and I didn’t even know where you were heading to… Yes, Steve told me that I didn’t have to worry. But I’d rather heard it from you.” She was whispering now and Tony sighed.

“I trust you, Pep. In fact, there’s no one I trust more than you.” He said truthfully.

“What about Steve?” Alright, she had a point there. But they were a team and leading the Avengers together, it was different.

“Not even Steve.” He said simply.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to look at him thoughtfully. “You’re serious.”

He chuckled. “Does that still surprise you?” He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Pepper. And I swear that I trust you.” He kissed her cheek.

Now she had to sigh. “I have to apologize. I know it’s unfair to say things like that to you. After all, you’ve got to save the world and so on… I just feel like something like that keeps us apart from another. It’s stupid.”

“No, it’s not.” He interrupted her immediately. “You can tell me when something’s bothering you, remember?” Tony reminded her softly.

“The last time I did that, it ended in disaster.”

“And we both made mistakes there, we’ve talked about it enough.” He stroked her back slowly. “Next time, I’ll tell you what’s going on, I promise.”

She smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

Her words were followed by silence and Tony closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Pepper in his arms. “Tony?” She asked suddenly.

“Yes, Pepper?”

“About earlier…” She began hesitantly, but then he felt her shaking her head. “It’s nothing.”

“You can tell me everything.” He whispered.

“Let’s just sleep.” She muttered and he would have liked to sigh. What the hell was wrong?

* * *

“JARVIS, are we recording?” He asked and checked one last time if the reactor on his chest was placed correctly.

“ _Yes, Sir. And the emergency program is active as well._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony grinned and turned to Steve, who was sitting on a chair in his lab, watching him silently. “It’s showtime.” He grinned and at his excitement, Steve had to smile as well.

“And what if it doesn’t work?” He asked and Tony rolled his eyes.

“It will work.” Tony emphasized every work. “But just in case it won’t, JARVIS has the emergency program running.” He repeated JARVIS’ words. “Which means that my other suit is active and waiting for it’s call.” He pointed at the suit that was waiting close to the window of his lab.

“Good to know that you’re prepared if something goes wrong.” Steve relaxed a little bit.

“I’m always prepared. And you” he pointed at dum-e “will not extinguish me unless I say so!”

He ignored Steve’s questioning look and walked to the window. It was the morning after their arrival in New York and Tony wanted to try his new suit. The conversation with Pepper last night was still weighing heavily on him. What the hell was wrong? This morning, she’d been absent-minded and headed to work very early. She wanted to inspect the tower. Tony had walked to his lab after breakfast, not surprised that Steve followed him. Before they left, it had been their routine. Mornings in the lab and in the afternoon, Steve had shown Tony how to fight without a suit.

Tony clapped his hands. “Let’s start, J.” He exclaimed and then, the suit began to form itself around him. It was a new feeling, the nano technology he’d invented for this in the past months was one of his best inventions so far.

“How does it even fit in there?” Steve asked, curiosity in his voice.

Tony turned around and grinned, though Steve couldn’t see it anymore since the suit was complete now. “Are you sure that you want the long explanation? It could be complicated.” When Steve grimaced, Tony chuckled. “I’m awesome, that’s the secret.” Tony said and then he turned around to jump out of the open window. 

Flying with this suit was great, it was much lighter than the previous ones and he was able to move faster. He could get used to this. When he rounded a corner, it shook slightly. He would have to correct the flight stabilizers.

“JARVIS, how does it look?” He asked and just rounded the tower again. Behind one of the windows, he could see Pepper talking to Happy. They both looked out of the window and Happy even waved at him.

“ _The values are all within their limit, you have enough energy to use this suit for a long time and fight in it. However, you might have to correct the flight stabilizers. Changing your direction too fast might have a bad impact on your movements, it would be possible that you crash._ ” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that. Shakes slightly.” Tony muttered and already thought about the best way to correct them.

“ _Otherwise, everything seems to be in order. Though you still need to do the weapon tests._ ” 

Tony frowned. That could be done easily, deep down under the tower, he had a special room for that. It had been Pepper’s idea when they built the tower, she didn’t like him setting the furniture on fire.

Suddenly, a movement to his right caught his attention. Was there a person falling down from a building? He wanted to change the direction, but the movement was too fast and the stabilizers couldn’t take it. The suit shook and he had to stop mid-air. “JARVIS?” He asked, but he stopped when he noticed that the person wasn’t really falling. It was more like  _jumping_ . “What the hell am I seeing there?” The person wasn’t really falling. It was more like he (it looked like a man) was holding onto something… He flew into that direction, but when he got closer he noticed that the person was gone. “What was that?!?”

“ _I analysed the movements, Sir. And I have recorded them so you can look at them again later._ ” JARVIS informed him. “ _Unfortunately, there is no trace of the person anymore close by._ ” 

Tony sighed. “Let’s return to the tower. I have to fix those stabilizers.” He muttered and changed his direction again, this time more slowly. What on earth had that been? A person jumping from skyscrapers without falling down? He would have to look at those records later.

* * *

A few hours later, Tony let JARVIS inform Maria Hill that he had time for her. She arrived in his office about ten minutes later, carrying many papers in her hands.

“Took you some time to come here.” Tony said without greeting her.

She smiled, but it looked forced. “Not everyone has as much time as you do, Mr. Stark.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t we stop with those formalities, Agent Hill? We both know that I’m not really your boss.”

She sighed and sat down, the smile on her lips disappeared. “Alright, Tony.” She emphasized his name. She handed him the papers. “The first three are about deliveries on your name, no one wanted to tell us what’s in those boxes. They’re really heavy and still standing in the garage.”

Tony looked at the papers shortly. “That’s good, I’ve been waiting for those.” He muttered. “For the Avengers.” He explained when he saw the questioning look on her face. “JARVIS, can we get them to the lab?”

“ _I will take care of it, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed him and Tony nodded. 

When he looked at the next paper, he frowned. “What’s this?”

“Records of what your new employees have been doing those past weeks.” Maria told him and he raised his eyebrows.

“I didn’t get records for the weeks before that. Why do I need to see this now?”

“As you might know, Pepper’s just inspecting the building and talking to a few people. Also SHIELD members. She might want to know the whole story.”

“She already knows that those are not our own people.” Tony replied shortly.

Maria Hill rolled her eyes. “Unlike you, she has to take care of the business. And then things like that are important.”

Tony sighed. “I’ll give it to her later.” He put the paper aside. The next one was in invitation for a charity gala next week. It was folded in the middle and Tony frowned. “What’s this?”

“You’ve been invited to many events like that. I thought that this one might be interesting.” Maria said slowly, this time without the sharp tone in her voice.

“And why –“ Tony began, but then he saw the title. This event was for all those people who lost their homes in a war. And those, who were still suffering from it. Slowly, he looked up at Maria. However, his thoughts wandered back to the gala he’d attended with Pepper only three days ago. He couldn’t think of this right now, not in front of a SHIELD agent. He put the paper down on the table and shoved it back to her. “Not interested.” He replied shortly and took the next paper, hoping that it would distract him.

It did. There were far too many numbers on this one. The costs of the SHIELD agents working for SI. “I thought you needed more money.” He muttered to distract himself. To be honest, he didn’t care about that at all.

“I calculated too high, we don’t need that much. You should be happy about this.” When he looked up, he saw that she was smiling.

“Yeah, great. Whatever.” He shoved the paper aside as well. Now there was only one left. A report about the missions SHIELD was currently working on. He raised his eyebrows. “Isn’t that like, top secret?” He asked without looking up.

“It is.” She agreed. “But I thought you might want to know what’s going on.”

“JARVIS could have gotten those reports easily. It’s not difficult to hack into SHIELD files.” Tony muttered, even if he was reading it now. To his surprise, they were still doing many things in many different countries. How was this possible now that they’ve lost most of the people to Hydra?

When he asked that question, she laughed. “We’ve got more loyal people than that.”

Tony nodded slowly. “Seems so.” One group of agents seemed to be doing most of the work, though. How was that even possible? In the files, they were just called Group C. Somehow, he knew that Maria wouldn’t answer any questions about them.

When he finally looked up from the report, he saw that she was smiling at him. He raised his eyebrows. “Everything alright?”

“Yes, fine. I bet there’ll be even more reports soon.” The offer was clear. If he wanted to see them, he just had to ask. However, he didn’t plan to do that.

“Maybe you should get back to work, Agent Hill.” He suggested.

“For you? Or the other things I’m doing next to that?” She asked curiously.

He shrugged. “What you like most.”

To his surprise, she grinned. It was strange, seeing her like this. Normally, she was so controlled. “Working for you is easier.” She told him when they both stood up and headed for the door.

He raised his eyebrows. “Why is that?”

“There’s not much I have to do for you. The other tasks are a little more challenging.”

Tony chuckled. “I bet they are. But if you want it, I can organize more work for you.”

At his offer, she shook her head. “No, thank you very much. I bet those things would be quite boring.”

“Working for Iron Man would be boring?”

She shook her head. “Working for Tony Stark.”

“So you’re telling me that I’m boring?” He tried to sound offended.

“You’re a very interesting person, Tony.” She said now and he couldn’t interpret the look on her face. For a second, he thought that it was admiration. But this was Maria Hill, feelings like that were nothing for her. The only man she ever admired was Fury.

“You must be joking.” He said lightly. “I’m a _difficult_ person you wanted to say.” They were walking towards the elevator slowly. 

“Maybe you are. But I didn’t think that working with you would be so easy.”

He laughed. “It’s not easy. I didn’t look forward to see those papers.”

“What about me?”

He shrugged. “Better than the papers, but –“

Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. High heels. Tony would recognize those footsteps everywhere. Pepper smiled when she saw them, but the look in her eyes was cold.

“Ah Tony, there you are. I’ve been looking for you. I need your signature on a few files for the company.” She said, trying to sound lightly. Tony knew her well enough to know that it was fake. He could see the tension in her shoulders.

“Alright, want to go to my office? Than we can look at it together. See you, Hill.” He muttered without looking at Maria and followed Pepper to his office. Seems like he found the cause of the problem. But what now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So any ideas who Tony saw when he was testing the new suit? :)


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“So you finally looked at her papers.” Pepper said when they sat down in his office.

He nodded. “Some of them are for you, actually.” Tony informed her.

At that, Pepper’s eyes narrowed. “For me? She’s your assistant.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “On paper, she might be my assistant.” He agreed. “Doesn’t mean that I like it.” The sceptical look on her face told him that she didn’t believe his words. He decided to ignore it and handed her the papers. “Makes it easier for you to answer questions about our new employees.”

Pepper looked at the papers for a few moments, before she nodded. “This could be useful.” She admitted and didn’t sound happy about it. “And what about the other things?”

“One was an invitation for a charity gala.” Tony told her. “I said she should get rid off that. I’ve had enough of those events for the next years.” The evening was still weighing heavily on him, even if he tried to ignore it as good as possible. He sighed.

When he mentioned the invitation, Pepper had raised her eyebrows and her expression was a mixture of anger and disbelief. “What’s wrong?” Tony asked with a frown.

“Oh it’s nothing.” Pepper said and tried to sound carefree. “Just something Maria and I talked about earlier.”

So they talked about more than the papers he had to sign the previous day? No wonder Pepper was annoyed by Maria Hill. She could be very exhausting sometimes. He cleared his throat. “Pepper, whatever she said to you, just ignore it. I already tried to get rid off her in the past weeks, but she always said that it looks better if she’s really doing something for SI than just being employed in the reports. And on some point, I just stopped arguing, she’s not doing that much for me either way. Mostly she stops by, I sign something and she walks away again.” Did that explain his relationship to Maria Hill? Probably not, it still sounded too nice.

Pepper was still looking sceptical. “Your conversation earlier didn’t sound like you wanted her to go away.”

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “What’s wrong?” He repeated his question.

Pepper shook her head. “Nothing. As I said, everything’s fine. Should we come to the reason why I’m here now?”

She just changed the subject! What was her problem with Maria Hill? He still didn’t understand… But wait. Was Pepper  _jealous_ ? Pepper? But why on earth should she feel like that towards Maria Hill? 

“Just give me the damn papers and I’ll sign them.”

Pepper handed them to him and he skipped through it. “I thought you ordered the material for the new reactor last month? JARVIS informed me about that.” He muttered while he was reading.

“I did. Nevertheless, your signature has to be on the papers. Otherwise, the delivery will never arrive. And then the companies can’t start with their work. And when they can’t work, there’ll be no building in which you can built the reactor.” She explained slowly and Tony knew that she rolled her eyes right now. Weren’t they past this point in their relationship? Everything had been fine until they arrived here…

He signed the papers and sighed. Pepper took them and stood up immediately.

“Pepper, wait.” Tony said when she turned around to leave. “Don’t just walk away. We agreed to talk when something’s wrong, right?”

Slowly, Pepper turned around to look at him again. “Yes, we did. But nothing’s wrong.”

“To me, it seems as if something’s terribly wrong.” Tony argued. “Ever since we came back to New York, you’re acting strange. At LA, everything’s been fine. So tell me where the problem lies. When this is about Maria –“

“Why should this be about Maria Hill?” Pepper asked loudly, now she sounded angry. Or frustrated?

He sighed. “Maybe because you’re always acting strange when she’s around? Or when I mention her?”

“That’s not true. I have absolutely no problem with her being your assistant. When you think that –“

She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. “ _Sir, I decoded more of the data you found on the servers of Hydra. Maybe you should have a look at it, I have already shown it to Captain Rogers and Doctor Banner._ ” JARVIS interrupted her. 

Tony glanced at Pepper. She was looking really angry now. “What’s going in, JARVIS? Can’t that wait?”

“ _Unfortunately, it is very urgent, Sir._ _It seems like Hydra is planning an attack on a_ _base of the army in Texas. They are storing weapons there._ ” 

Tony sighed. “I’m on my way. Get the suit ready, seems like I’ll not be taking the new one this time. Damn stabilizers.” He smiled at Pepper, though it was forced. “Seems like we need to talk later, I’ve got to leave now.”

He walked past her towards the door. He was already out of the room, when she called after him.

“Tony, please be careful.”

He looked over his shoulder without stopping. “I always am.”

* * *

“ _Tony, are you ready?_ ” Steve’s voice sounded in his ear. They were in Texas now and ready to stop Hydra’s attack on the base. The plan was easy. Tony would distract them and the others would come from behind and stop the Hydra agents. The soldiers of the army were already informed about the attack and would help the Avengers as good as possible. 

The building wasn’t as bis as expected. Probably because most of the storerooms were underground. Behind the base, there were mountains high enough to shield it from that direction. On the other side, a forest made it difficult to get to the base. There was only one road. On the tower, Tony could see soldiers waving at him, signalling that they were ready. 

“Of course I am. And our friends in the building as well, they just gave me the sign. Do you see the troops of Hydra?”

“ _Yes, we’re following them through the forest. They’ll be at the gate soon._ ” 

“Then let’s say hi to them, shall we?” Tony asked and with a grin, he flew towards the base. They had built a line of wood and other things in front of the gate that were easily flammable, so it wasn’t a problem for Tony to set them on fire.

The Hydra agents were carrying heavy weapons and started to shoot at Tony and the military base. Apparently, they’d already expected an attack. “Seems like they knew that we’d come.” Tony muttered.

“ _And they’re not happy to see us._ ” Clint’s agreed. 

The fight was going very well, until there was an explosion right next to Tony. “What was that?” He asked and tried to get out of the way of the next shot.

“ _They’re using a new system with a tracker. You should try to get way from here fast, Sir. When one of those warheads hits you, the damage might be fatal._ ” JARVIS answered his question. 

Tony already expected something like that. “Can you detect the source?”

He rounded the base and tried to see who was firing on him, but it wasn’t easy while avoiding being hit. “Does someone on the ground know who’s causing me that much trouble?”

“ _I can see them, I’ll try to get there._ ” Steve said and Tony noticed that he sounded stressed. 

“Deal with your own problems, I’ll be fine.” He said, not wanting Steve to get in more danger for him. Maybe this was a good time to land and help the others on the ground. He rounded the base again when something hit his suit. Luckily, it wasn’t a warhead.

“What was that?!?”

“ _A stone, Sir._ ” JARVIS said. 

“Who the hell is throwing stones at me?”

Nevertheless, the distraction did it. Suddenly, something else hit Tony’s suit and the explosion caught him off guard. He tried to fly away to avoid most of the damage, but he forgot that he was flying towards the tower of the base. Then there was another explosion and he fell – right into the military base and the tower. Which crashed down on him and the others who were fighting on the ground.

* * *

Pepper sat down in the kitchen and looked out of the window. The Avengers had left soon after JARVIS informed them about the attack. That had been nearly five hours ago. Since that, there was no sign of them.

The bits she’d heard of Tony’s conversation with Maria Hill echoed through her mind again. They’d teased each other in such a light tone… Back then, she wouldn’t have noticed that Tony doesn’t like that woman.

But did he really not like her? Or had Tony just said those things to make her calm down?

However, Tony would never lie to her. That wasn’t like him at all. Yes, he could be stupid sometimes and thoughtless, but Tony hated lying.

That didn’t change in the months they’d been apart, did it?

“Stop thinking about it, Pepper.” She muttered to herself. “Tony would never cheat on you. He said that he doesn’t like Maria Hill and then it’s the truth.” Maybe she was really worrying over something stupid. After all, Tony was lying in her bed at night. And he always looked at her like there was nothing better in this world. And when they were together, he looked so carefree. And he didn’t to that when he was with Maria Hill, did he?

Last evening, when they’d met her at the elevator, he didn’t look happy to see her. And today, when she heard them talk, his voice sounded strained. So maybe she was worrying over nothing?

He’d been right, they needed to talk. However, she didn’t plan on just telling him all her worries. He had to figure out what was wrong on his own.

Suddenly, she heard a phone ringing. Pepper frowned and went to look for the source. She knew that ringtone, it was Tony’s. After a few moments, she saw it lying on the counter. Apparently, he’d forgotten it there when they left in a haze. ‘Rhodey’ said the screen and it showed a picture of Tony and Rhodey, grinning together. It had been taken a few years ago, before Tony had been captured…

Should she answer this? He wanted to talk to Tony, after all. But Pepper could just tell Rhodey that Tony was on a mission, then he wouldn’t have to call again.

She accepted the call. “Hey  _Tony, finally you’re answering. I already tried to reach you a few hours ago, there’s something you must know –“_

“It’s Pepper, Rhodey.” She interrupted him quickly. Rhodey sounded serious, what was going on?

“ _Pepper? Where’s Tony?_ ” Rhodey sounded confused. 

“He’s out on a mission with the Avengers.” Pepper explained.

“ _Oh, not good._ ” Rhodey muttered. “ _I really needed to talk to him._ ” 

She frowned. “What’s going on?” She asked without thinking about it. “Of course you don’t have to tell me, I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry.” She corrected herself quickly.

“ _Why shouldn’t you ask about this? It’s about government business, Pepper. Nothing exciting. I just heard something that might be interesting for Tony and the others. Apparently, someone tried to hack into their servers. And I thought Tony could find out who it was easily._ ” Rhodey explained. 

Could that be Hydra? Or just someone else? “I bet he’ll be excited to hear that.” She said slowly. “Should I tell him to call you back when they return?”

“ _That would be great, I also left him a message. How are you, Pepper? Now that you’re back in New York?_ ” 

She forced back a sigh. “Everything’s fine, I started working today. I haven’t been here for some time and need to control everything for the company.”

“ _And besides that? How are things with Tony?_ ” 

“We’re good.” She lied. “Still getting used to each other again.”

“ _When something’s wrong, you can tell me, you know that?_ ” Rhodey asked seriously. 

Pepper smiled, even if he couldn’t see it. “Thank you, Rhodey. I appreciate that.”

Suddenly, she heard someone else talking to Rhodey. “ _I’ve got to go, I’ll stop by at NY soon._ ”

“Goodbye.” Pepper whispered, but Rhodey had already ended the call.

She stared at the phone in her hands. Now it showed the picture of Tony and her on the charity gala a few days ago. He looked at her with so much love, it made her smile. She thought of that evening again, all those terrible things Anna said to Tony. And how desperate he’d been after that. Her words were still weighing heavily on him, Pepper knew that. Even if Tony tried to hide it. He was carrying a heavy burden and she really wished that she could make it easier for him. But she could do that, right?

However, now it seemed as if she wasn’t making anything easier for him. He’d looked tense back in his office, even insecure. As if he didn’t know what to do around her when she was angry at him. And all because of Maria Hill, who was his assistant now. Who  _liked_ Tony. She called him ‘Tony’ behind his back, not ‘Mr. Stark’. Maybe Tony didn’t even know about her attraction towards him? Yes, they’d teased each other, but Tony was like that around everyone… Did she interpret everything wrong and it wasn’t Tony who liked Maria, but  _Maria_ who had a crush on Tony?

Suddenly, Pepper was determined to clear the air. She wouldn’t let Maria Hill get between herself and Tony.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Everything hurt. The crash drew the air out of Tony’s lungs and stones and other parts from the tower fell down on him. He was lucky that it didn’t crush him right away. Luckily, the suit could stand things like that – until some point. Which had been crossed now.

He was buried under stones and couldn’t breathe properly. His back was hurting like hell and he felt a sharp pain in his leg. Apparently, one of the metal plates of the suit was bent and cut into his flesh. And his arm, which wasn’t healed completely after the incident in California, was also hurting again.

“JARVIS?” He asked, hoping that the suit still functioned.

“ _It seems like you made the tower fall, Sir._ ” Tony had never been happier to hear JARVIS’ voice. “ _You have bruises on your back and there is a long cut on your leg, you are losing blood. And your arm is bruised as well._ ” 

Tony groaned. Blood loss was never a good thing. “How long do I have? And does the suit still work?”

“ _The suit is intact, but there is a large stone on top of it. When you shove it aside, you will be able to move again. And with the blood loss, you will loose consciousness in about thirty minutes._ ” 

“What about the others?” Tony asked, already trying to push the stone aside. However, it wasn’t easy with his injured arm.

“ _Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff are fine with just a few bruises, as well is Thor. Agent Barton might have cracked a few ribs and Dr. Banner is chasing the Hydra agents who weren’t injured by the fall._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

Tony sighed. “Alright, let’s get this stone out of the way.” He muttered and began to push against it. It took all his strength, but in the end he was able to move the biggest stone aside and he was able to stand up. “How many soldiers are injured?” He asked when he looked around. There was still much dust in the air. Tony thought that he saw Steve in the distance, helping a few men, but he wasn’t sure.

“ _The tower destroyed most of the military base, Sir_.” JARVIS said. 

Tony groaned. “And all because of a stone…”

“ _It was not your fault, the shots were aimed at you perfectly. It would have been difficult to move aside in time. And they would have hit the tower either way._ ” 

“Are you trying to cheer me up, JARVIS?” Tony asked lightly and tried to walk towards the others. However, the sharp pain in his leg made him sink to the ground again. “Can we get this off?” He reached for the metal on his leg and tried to pull it away. Slowly, the pain lessened. But then Tony saw the blood and he knew that he had to bandage the wound quickly.

“Tony?” A voice called and he looked up to see Steve running towards him. He was covered in dust and there was blood on his face, but otherwise he looked fine. “You’re injured.” Steve knelt down next to him and looked at the wound. “We’ve got to get you to the jet. Can you walk?”

He nodded. “I’ll be fine. How are the others?”

While Steve helped him to walk towards the jet, he informed Tony about the situation on the ground. “Most of the Hydra agents were in front of the gate when the tower crashed. The others were able to escape, but Bruce is chasing them. Thor and Natasha are helping the soldiers of the military to find the people under the pieces of the buildings. Clint is injured, he’s sitting somewhere close to Natasha, he didn’t want to leave her. He said he can still use his bow, even if he’s injured.” At the last words, Steve rolled his eyes. “What happened there? I saw them shooting at you and the next moment, the tower was coming down on us.”

Tony groaned. They had reached the jet and he stepped out of his suit. Now he could see the cut on his leg better. It really didn’t look good. He sat down quickly, not wanting to fall in front of Steve. “They hit me with a few warheads and I crashed into the tower.” He said shortly and inhaled sharply when Steve began to clean the injury. His head was hurting as well, but JARVIS would have informed him about a concussion.

“Then you’ve been lucky.” Steve muttered. “You could have been dead.”

Tony laughed dryly. “Yes, and everyone else here as well. You’ve been lucky too.”

Steve shook his head. “Nat and I had my shield and Thor just jumped out of the way. Clint hasn’t been that lucky, he was also hit by a stone. His good reflexes saved his life.”

Tony sighed and clenched his fists when Steve bandaged the wound. “You need to see a doctor.”

Tony nodded. “JARVIS, can you arrange that when we get back to New York?”

“ _Of course, Sir._ ” Tony nodded slowly and leaned back. That wasn’t a good idea, it felt like his whole back was a single bruise. He sighed.

“You won’t let me help you at removing this mess, will you?” He asked and Steve shook his head.

“You’re injured. And besides, I’ll just get the others and then we have to leave. Someone needs to look at your injury. And Clint needs a doctor too.” The concern in Steve’s voice was evident.

Tony nodded slowly. “I thought so.” He used all his strength to stand up and looked at the suit. He had straightened out the plates on the leg so they wouldn’t hurt him again. “Too bad, Steve. I’ll go with you either way. After all, it’s also my fault that this happened.”

Steve sighed, but didn’t protest. He knew that it was useless when Tony made up his mind.

“They would have hit the tower either way.” He said simply when Tony tried to step into the suit and stumbled. Steve caught his arm and raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure that you don’t want to wait here? You lost much blood and I bet your other injuries are hurting as well.”

“ _Sir, you have three missed calls from Colonel Rhodes. Maybe you can hear what he wants to tell you, it seemed to be urgent._ ” JARVIS said in this moment. 

Tony frowned. “Are you siding with him now, JARVIS?”

“ _You need rest, Sir. And as I said, Colonel Rhodes emphasized that it is urgent._ ” 

He sighed and sat down again. “Let me hear those calls.” He muttered when Steve left again to look for the others.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the Avengers were on their way back to New York. Their help hadn’t been needed at the military base anymore after reinforcements arrived. They had left when Bruce returned. He’d caught some Hydra agents, but a few had been able to escape.

“Shooting at the tower wasn’t a good idea.” Clint muttered in the jet. He was lying on his back and tried to breathe slowly. Bruce had already given him and Tony something against the pain, but it didn’t help that well.

“I think they noticed that.” Tony muttered, but didn’t look up from the screen of his tablet. He’d called Rhodey back and of course he’d started to look for the people who tried to hack the government immediately. He thought that he already knew who it was, but until now he couldn’t find any signs of Hydra. And JARVIS was also on it.

His headache was getting stronger and it was hard to concentrate, but he kept going. At least he had something to do that distracted him from the pain. Outside, it was dark and somehow, Tony hoped that Pepper was asleep already. He didn’t want to face her right now. Another argument just because he got hurt was nothing he wanted yet.

“We’ll be there soon.” Steve announced. This time, he was flying the jet. “Everyone still feeling alright?”

“Fine.” Clint muttered.

“I’ll live.” Tony replied thoughtfully and frowned at the screen. “And soon, we’ll find out who wanted to hack into top secret government files.” He’d informed the others about Rhodey’s call.

“Maybe you should let JARVIS go on with this. Someone really has to look at your injuries now, Tony.” Bruce suggested slowly and when Tony looked up, he saw the worried look on his face.

He sighed and nodded. “Would be better, you’re right. JARVIS is on it either way.” The bleeding on his leg had stopped, but he’d need some stitches. And more painkillers for his back.

They landed on the roof of the tower and Steve helped Tony to get out of the jet, while Natasha and Bruce supported Clint. There was light in the living area of the tower and Tony knew immediately that Pepper was still awake. Great, this was the last thing he needed now.

He also didn’t want to scare her again. Their dramatic arrival in Malibu had already shaken her, and back then Tony hadn’t even been injured. Now he was in the worst condition of them all, next to Clint. Stupid stone. And stupid tower.

When they entered the tower, they headed for the elevator quickly. JARVIS had told them that a doctor was already waiting for them in the hospital area. Tony looked around while Steve supported him. His friend seemed to notice his uneasiness, because he scanned the room as well. “No one there.” He whispered and Tony’s lips twitched.

Just in that moment, the door which led to the kitchen opened and Pepper left the room. When she saw them, she stopped immediately and paled. Her eyes grew wide when they landed on Clint, Natasha and Bruce. When she finally found Tony, she inhaled sharply. “What happened?” Her voice was quiet, but it echoed through the room since all the Avengers had stopped walking when they noticed Pepper.

Slowly, she walked towards them. Steve was still standing between Tony and Pepper, but after a few steps she was able to look at him properly. Her eyes wandered from his face to his leg and she swallowed. The provisional bandage was already red from blood. He noticed that her hands, which were holding a glass of water, were shaking slightly. “Tony…”

He breathed in deeply and forced a smile on his lips. “Everything’s fine. Just a small incident on the mission. Maybe someone threw stones at me and I crashed into a building.”

“Which collapsed.” Thor added and made a gesture with his hands. “It was quite spectacular. It buried many people under its remnants.”

Tony glared at him. “Not helping.” He muttered and looked at Pepper again. “It looks worse than it really is, we’re on our way to the hospital wing.” When she didn’t reply and just stared at him, he glanced at Steve. “It will be fine, Pep.”

Slowly, they continued their way towards the elevator. Only Tony and Steve remained standing and he tried to smile at Pepper again. “Do you want to come with us or will you stay here?” He asked softly. He knew that Pepper didn’t like going to the hospital area.

To his surprise, a stern determination was in her eyes when she nodded. “I’ll come with you.”

He nodded. “Great, then we should get going. I really need to sit down.”

* * *

An hour later, Tony was lying on a bed in the hospital wing. Their doctor had cleaned his wounds and bandaged his leg. He also got painkillers. The cut wasn’t too deep, the blood loss had been caused by the metal of his suit, it had prevented normal blood circulation. It should heal fast, however he needed to stay calm for a few days.

And he hated not being able to do anything. However, Steve had suggested that he found the hacker of the government and after that, he could already start to figure out how they could get into that Hydra base in Alaska. That would give him something to do. Fixing the stabilizers of his new suit would have to wait as well, his arm was bruised again and he had to spare it.

Maybe he should really continue his work on the Extremis… After he’d gotten it out of Pepper’s system, he’d done more research on it, but then he’d dropped that subject. Bruce would be interested in that as well, they could look into it together. He made a mental note to mention it soon.

There was a soft knock on the door and Pepper walked in. In front of the bed, she hesitated for a few moments, before she ignored the chair for visitors and sat down on the bed. She’d accompanied them downstairs, but she’d been quiet all the time, even when Steve told her what happened. To Tony’s surprise, she didn’t say anything like ‘You said you’d be careful’ or ‘Why on earth did you have to crash into that tower?’. When the doctor wanted to stitch up Tony’s wound, Pepper had left for some time. Tony knew that she didn’t like to see blood, even if she’d never admit it.

“How are you feeling?” She asked and the worry in her voice made Tony smile.

“I’m fine, I told you it’s nothing.”

She sighed. “It doesn’t look like nothing. And the doctor said that you need to stay still for at least five days. Do you think you can manage that?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not a child, I can follow the orders of the doctor.”

“Normally, you don’t care about those orders.” Pepper threw in.

He smiled slightly. “That’s true. But I’ll do it this time, I promise.”

To his surprise, her lips twitched. However, the concern in her eyes remained. “You nearly gave me a heart attack when you returned.” She admitted and looked at her hands in her lap.

Tony reached out to take one of her hands and squeezed it. Luckily, she was sitting on the side of the bed with his good arm. “I’m sorry, Pep. I really didn’t want you to worry about me.”

Slowly, she looked up again. “You know that I’m always worried. Please don’t make a habit out of this, coming back from your missions injured.”

“Last time it wasn’t me.” He interjected immediately.

“I don’t want any of you to come back injured.” Pepper said seriously. “And especially not you. From what Steve said, you can be lucky that you’re still alive. All of you.”

“He likes to exaggerate.” Tony muttered.

“No, he doesn’t and we both know that. And I bet JARVIS would also tell me how close you were to –“

“But I’m fine.” He interrupted her before she could finish that sentence. _How close you were to dying_. He really didn’t want to think about that. “They caught me off guard, it won’t happen again. I calculated this wrong.” 

For half a second, she frowned and there was something else in her expression. Was it guilt? However, the look vanished so fast that Tony thought he’d just imagined it. “What’s wrong?” He asked, not really expecting an answer.

“Normally, you don’t calculate things in the wrong way.” Pepper replied and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

He sighed. “The past weeks haven’t been easy.” He said slowly and realized how true that was. The whole fight with Pepper and everything that came along with it had distracted him. But was that really the reason why he didn’t see those missiles coming today? He’d rather say that it was just bad luck. “But today, it was just bad luck. Things like that happen, remember the incident in China when I didn’t see the plane coming and I flew into it?”

His attempt to cheer her up didn’t succeed. “I have to apologize, Tony.” Pepper told him. “I didn’t want to be a distraction to you. I know I haven’t been very kind to you these past days.”

Wow, he expected everything, but not this. “What do you mean?” He asked with a frown. “When this is still about Maria –“

“It is. I know that she’s just your assistant because SHIELD needs a cover and I overreacted.” Pepper said those words quickly, like she needed to get them out now. “I shouldn’t have acted so cold towards you.”

Tony smiled at her. He’d already expected that this was the problem but hearing it from her was something different. “You could have told me that she bothers you.” He said softly. “I already told you that we can figure things out together.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry, it was stupid. But we just got each other back and sometimes, I can’t help feeling a little… I don’t know.” She admitted. “It just bothered me.”

He squeezed her hand again. “You shouldn’t feel like that. I love you, Pepper. More than anything. It’s always you, remember?”

Her lips twitched. “I love you too.” She leaned down to kiss him. It was a short kiss, but after it they were both smiling. “Please don’t do something like that again.” Pepper muttered.

“I’ll be careful.” He promised.

She didn’t look convinced. “You already said that earlier. And look what happened.”

“You know that I can’t promise you more. The risk is part of the job.”

She nodded. “I know that. That doesn’t make it easier.”

“You know that I’ll always come back to you.” Tony whispered and she smiled.

“I know.”


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Come on.” Tony muttered and frowned at the screen in front of him. The numbers appeared slowly and he followed them with his eyes. “JARVIS, are you on it?” He asked slowly, still concentrating on the screen.

“ _Of course, Sir. It seems like you successfully decoded the files._ ” JARVIS announced. 

Tony rolled his eyes. “I know.” When the program finished the decoding, he began to type on the keyboard. “Now let’s see who wanted to hack the government.” He tried to stay calm, though the excitement was slowly creeping up on him.

Two days had passed since their mission in Texas and he was sitting in his lab, as usual. First, Pepper had protested when he wanted to stay there, but in the end he’d been able to convince her that it would be easier to work from here. She couldn’t deny that it would make him crazy to stay in bed all the time. In the past two days, they all didn’t see Maria Hill. Apparently, she was busy with SHIELD business.

Steve was sitting on the new couch and Tony could feel his eyes on him. When Steve wasn’t in the training room with the others, he kept him company. Somehow, Tony was glad about that. He enjoyed having Steve around, even if he didn’t say much, not wanting to distract Tony.

After a few more minutes, he could see a few names and coordinates in front of him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “What the fuck?!?”

“Language.” Steve’s voice echoed through the room, but Tony ignored him instead of rolling his eyes as usual. He kept his eyes on the screen. “Tony, what’s wrong?” Steve’s voice was closer now and Tony knew that he’d stood up. Slowly, he looped up just to see Steve standing right next to him.

“I know who wanted to hack the government.” He announced without his usual smugness.

Steve frowned, confused by the tone of his voice and the serious expression on Tony’s face. “And who tried to do it?”

“Not just one person.” Tony muttered. “Two people tried to hack into government files, independently of each other.”

“How do you know that?” Steve glanced at the screen, but Tony knew that the groups of names, places and numbers wouldn’t tell him anything.

“Firstly, they tried to hack into different files. Secondly, I think those people would like to kill each other. Thirdly, one person was more skilled than the other one.” He sighed when he saw the confusion in Steve’s eyes. He turned to him, trying to let his wounded leg (which was resting on another chair) remain still. He gestured Steve to sit down on another chair, which he did. “The government noticed one attack of those hackers.” Tony began to explain it. “That’s the one I followed first, it wasn’t that difficult. Took me about two hours.” He held up his hand when Steve opened his mouth to say something. “The second one was more difficult, especially finding hints of the hacking. If I wouldn’t have looked for something like that, I would have never noticed it.”

“Why did you look for another attack?” Steve asked curiously.

“Natural distrust in people.” Tony replied immediately. “It seemed too easy.”

Steve nodded, though Tony could see that he didn’t completely understand it. “And who were the hackers? And why did they stop?”

Tony cleared his throat. “The first attack was from a Hydra base in South America.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “I thought they were experts in those things.”

Tony shrugged, but it hurt his back and he flinched. “I’m fine.” He muttered when he saw the worried look on Steve’s face. “And no, they were bad, really bad. But after those computers we found in California, I knew that their technology specialists seemed to be working on something else, otherwise those files would have been encoded better.”

“So Hydra tries to hack into top secret government files, but they leave traces that were easy to find?” Steve asked slowly.

“Easy for me. They asked me for help, remember?” Tony asked with a slight smile.

“So maybe not that easy.” Steve corrected himself and Tony nodded. “Who is the other hacker?”

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “That’s a little more complicated.” He said hesitantly. “I have to think about it.”

Steve raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. He knew Tony well enough to trust him with things like that.

Tony glanced at the screen again. How on earth did those things fit together? “I’ll tell you as soon as I’m sure about this.” He promised and Steve’s lips twitched.

“Alright.” He agreed and stood up. “Will you join us on the movie evening?”

Tony glanced at the clock. Soon, it would be time for dinner. After that, the Avengers met in the media room for their usual movie Friday. He hesitated. He’d planned to join them, but now things were a little more complicated. And he wanted to spend time with Pepper again, in the past days, she’d been busy with the company, even if she’d visited him in the lab as often as possible. She wasn’t acting strange anymore and they didn’t talk about Maria Hill again. Tony was happy about that, their argument seemed to be finished.

“You don’t have to say yes yet.” Steve said softly. “Either you join us or not, it’s your decision.” He also glanced at the screen. “We’d understand if you have other things in mind.”

Tony smiled. “Thank you, Steve.”

Steve grinned. “Not for that. Will you be alright?”

Tony nodded. “I’ll see you in the kitchen.”

When Steve left, Tony leaned back in his chair carefully and sighed. He would have loved to tell Steve about the second hacker, but it didn’t seem like a good idea yet. Things were  _really_ complicated now. With a sigh, he turned to the other things he’d been working on those past days. The base in Alaska was also a problem, but he didn’t want to deal with it now. So he turned to the stabilizers of his new suit.

* * *

About an hour later, the door of the lab opened again.

“Steve told me that you were still in here.” Pepper greeted him and when Tony looked up, he saw that she was smiling.

He grinned. “Someone has to do all the work, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “You could at least try to get some rest. After all, you’re injured.”

“I’ve been sitting here all day without moving. So I am resting, Pep.” He argued.

“Just because you’re not moving, it doesn’t mean that you’re relaxing. And the doctor said that it’s important for you.” She sat down on the couch. “I’m just worried for you, Tony.”

Slowly, he turned around and smiled. “I know, Pepper. And I appreciate it. But you know that doing nothing would kill me.”

She nodded. “I do. That’s why I let you stay in here at the first place.”

“What are you? My babysitter?” He asked in a mocking tone.

Pepper chuckled. “If I have to.” She replied simply.

“I don’t need one.”

A wide smile appeared on her lips. “What do you need then, Mr. Stark?” There was a gleam in her eyes that excited him.

“I thought you were so good at knowing what I need, Mrs. Potts.” She stood up again and walked towards him slowly, that smile still on her lips. In front of him, she stopped and right now Tony hated being injured. He would have loved to stand up, wrap his arms around her and kiss her senseless.

Pepper kissed him softly but drew back quickly. She was very careful not to hurt him these days. However, he wasn’t made of glass. He took her hands and squeezed them. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Tony.” This time, they kissed more slowly. When she leaned back, Pepper sighed. “Next time, you really need to come back uninjured.”

“I’ll do my best.” He muttered and his voice sounded hoarse. He cleared his throat. “How was your day?” He changed the subject quickly.

In the next five minutes, Pepper told him everything about the SI facilities in New York she’d visited today. When she finished her report, he raised his eyebrows. “Now I know why I’ve made you CEO again.”

She laughed. “Just because you don’t care about the things that happen in your company, it doesn’t mean that everyone else sees it like that too.”

“I can be lucky that you do all this for me.” He admitted and didn’t just mean the company. She smiled softly.

“And I am very happy to be the woman by your side.” She whispered and now he would have really liked to pull her close.

“How was your day? Did you find out about the hacker?” Pepper asked and sat down again, creating a distance between them.

He nodded slowly, trying to look calm. When her eyes narrowed, he knew that he wasn’t sucessful. “I found the hackers.”

Pepper frowned. “There is more than one?”

“Yes. The first one has been easy to identify. Our friends from Hydra didn’t hide their traces very well.” He explained.

“What were they looking for?”

“Secret military bases. Mostly the ones which stores weapons.”

“And they didn’t find them?”

Tony shook his head. “They were able to decode one file, not more.”

“The base in Texas.” Pepper guessed and now he nodded.

“The only one they know about.”

Her face darkened. “If you would have known about those hackers before, you could have prevented this whole fight.” She muttered and he didn’t know how to reply. After a few moments, Pepper sighed. “What about the second one?”

Of course she noticed his hesitation and this time, she raised her eyebrows suspiciously. “What’s wrong?”

He ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t tell Steve about the second person who wanted to hack into those government files. Could he tell Pepper about this? He’d promised that he wouldn’t keep secrets from her anymore… But this was really difficult and he didn’t know how to deal with it himself…  _Maybe she can help you_ a small voice in his head offered. He wasn’t so sure about that. “It’s difficult. I told Steve that I needed to think about it first.” 

Just like Steve before, Pepper looked at him searchingly for a few moments. “Alright.” She said finally and his jaw nearly dropped in surprise.

“What?” It was the only word he was able to get out right now. Did she really just say that it was alright if he kept those things to himself?

“I said it’s alright. When you need time to think about it, you can have it. You wouldn’t keep it to yourself when it wouldn’t be difficult.” She said those things calmly and he didn’t find any trace of anger in her eyes. Then a small smile appeared on her lips which made his heart race. “I trust you with this, Tony.”

That’s when he couldn’t stand it anymore. With all his strength, he stood up from his chair and grabbed the table with both hands to support himself. The wound was below the knee, so he was able to walk for himself. It was just damn painful. Three steps, then he was on the couch next to Pepper. She was pale when he breathed in deeply and grinned at her, but she didn’t scold him. Instead, she placed a hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. “Don’t do that again.” She whispered and when she leaned back, he saw that she was smiling.

“I wanted to be closer to you. Is that a bad thing?”

She shook her head. “Not at all. But you have to remain still until you’re healed completely.” She kissed him on the cheek and then her lips wandered to his throat. “When you’re alright again, you can show me how close you want me to be.”

Her words made him shiver and before he could reply something, Pepper leaned back. “I ran into Maria today.” She said suddenly, still looking calm. The storm which had been in her eyes when she mentioned the other women a few days ago was gone.

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, what did she want?” He asked, trying to sound lightly. However, he had a bad feeling about this.

“She said you need to have a look at SHIELD files.” Pepper explained. “She wouldn’t tell my why this is important.”

He nodded slowly. “What did you tell her?”

Pepper smiled slightly. “That Mr. Stark is indispensable at the moment and she needs to make an appointment.”

“You really told her this?” Tony asked and before he knew what was happening, he laughed loudly. To his surprise, Pepper joined him.

“You should have seen her face. She was not happy with this answer.”

Tony wrapped his good arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Then he kissed her deeply. “I would have loved to see that.”

Pepper blushed. “After that, she just turned around and left. Maybe she’ll come to you tomorrow.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “I bet she will.” He muttered and grinned again. “Maybe I can ask her why she didn’t make an appointment?”

Pepper rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “Do you want your assistant to be angry with you?” She asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t care what she thinks. She’s a lousy assistant. Doesn’t even say hello and goodbye.”

“You shouldn’t let her hear those things. After all, she’s the head of SHIELD now.” Pepper said.

“But she’s not the Director.” He replied immediately.

Pepper frowned. “And who’s that?”

“I’m still trying to find out about that.” Tony admitted.

“You really don’t like people having secrets.” She muttered and he nodded.

“You know that I don’t trust people that easily.” Not after everything that happened in the past.

Pepper seemed to understand his thoughts since her expression became serious. “I know. But it’s not a bad thing.”

His lips twitched. “I should really talk to Agent Hill.” He muttered then and sighed.

“Yes, I don’t think you have a choice in this.” Pepper agreed.

Yes, he needed to talk to Maria Hill. But not about those SHIELD files.

After that, he kissed Pepper again and they didn’t stop until JARVIS announced that dinner was ready. After that, he and Pepper joined the Avengers movie night together.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next morning, Tony was sitting in his lab again, waiting for Maria Hill to show up. He’d told her to meet him there and that it was urgent. Of course she’d agreed to come immediately.

Pepper was in her office, working on a few SI files. He knew that she didn’t like the fact that he wanted to talk to Hill alone, but he didn’t want to have her around for this conversation. Or anyone else. Steve had asked if he should come as well. Now, the other Avengers were in the training room, except for Bruce. He was doing research on a technique to disable the machines in Alaska in his quarters. When Tony was finished, Bruce would join him in the lab and they would continue the research together.

Tony looked at the screen in front of him again and sighed. Two hackers. One from South America. The other one from New York. This could be fun… He decided not to mention it immediately.

The door opened and Maria Hill walked in. As usual, she was wearing high heels and a short, blue dress. Tony really didn’t understand why she had to dress like this in the tower. After all, she was a SHIELD agent and not his assistant. To his surprise, her hair was open and fell over her shoulders in curls.

“You wanted to talk to me.” She said with a smile when she sat down on the chair in front of him. Before she walked in, he’d turned off his computer screen. He didn’t want her to see what he’d been working on.

“Yes, you said that I need to look at some files.” He repeated what Pepper had told him the previous evening.

“Well, you _can_ look at them, if you want it.” Maria corrected him and he raised his eyebrows. “Those files are not essential for us or SI, I just thought that you could be interested in this.” 

“Do you want to make a habit out of this?” He asked before he could stop himself and she looked at him questioningly. “Showing me top secret SHIELD files.” She smiled again. “Maybe.” When he looked at the papers she’d handed him, he frowned. There were many missions listed, more than a few days ago.

“You’re busy.” He remarked and she nodded. “How can you manage to go on so many missions at the same time?”

“As I said, we’ve got many agents, also those who don’t belong directly to SHIELD.” Maria explained.

“You’re sure that you can trust them?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. “After all, you also thought that you could trust your own people. And you were wrong.”

At his words, she grimaced. “Don’t remind me of that.” Did he just imagine it, or did her voice sound strained at those words? “And yes, we can trust them. I’ve checked it myself.”

Tony glanced at the list again. “Many people to check.” He remarked. “How did you manage that?”

“I’ve got time.” Was the simple answer.

He chuckled without humour. “We both know that you don’t have  _that much_ time.” 

After a few moments of silence, she sighed and the smile on her lips vanished. “Alright, it’s true. I checked some of them and others whom I trust did that as well. We divided the work.”

He nodded. “And why was it so difficult to tell me that?”

“I am the head of SHIELD now. My people depend on me. Do you know what it’s like, when they trust you and you don’t want to disappoint them? When it has to look like you’re in control of everything because when you don’t, they’re starting to doubt everything around them? And then more problems are to come because trust is an important issue in our work?” While speaking, she’d let her guard down. Now there was a troubled look on her face and something like weariness in her eyes. He’d never seen her like this before.

Slowly, he ran a hand through his hair. “I think you already know the answer.” He began slowly, not sure what to say right now. He never thought that Maria Hill was a woman who told anyone about the things that troubled her. “I know that what you’re doing is not easy. You took great responsibility when you decided to lead the remaining SHIELD agents into their future. Not many people would have taken this burden.”

Her lips twitched, but the sad look on her face remained. “I didn’t have a choice.” She said simply.

“We always have a choice.” Tony muttered immediately, remembering all those times when he’d made choices that changed his life. Especially one moment came to his mind, which had shaped his whole life. _I am Iron Man._

“It’s not that easy.” Maria whispered and looked at her hands on her lap.

“Try to explain it to me?” Tony asked and smiled at her.

When she finally looked up again, she nodded. “We never expected Hydra to take over SHIELD. Hell, we didn’t even know that Hydra still existed. You know what happened with Project Inside and the Winder Soldier.” She swallowed. “What happened to Nick – Director Fury. We all thought that he’d always be there to lead us, being on our own was nothing we ever expected.  _I_ wasn’t ready for this.”

This surprised him. “But you managed everything so well after that.”

She laughed dryly. “Because I had to. Can you imagine what would have happened if no one would have taken care of the remaining loyal SHIELD agents? They would have turned to Hydra immediately.” She remained silent for a few moments. “I still feel like I don’t really know what I’m doing, even if months have passed.” Now she looked out of the window, it was clear that she avoided looking at him.

“You think too low of yourself.” Tony said. “You’re running this whole SHIELD business like an expert, Maria.” He’d never called her Maria before. “When there’s someone who shouldn’t doubt herself, it’s you. You’re doing a great job.” He pointed at the papers on the table. “You just have to look at this, you’re doing so many missions right now, and most of them are sucessful. That’s something you can be proud of.”

“I feel like I should do more. Like I _have to_ do more.” She muttered, still looking at the city. 

“And what would that be?” Tony asked softly.

She shrugged. “That’s the problem. I don’t know.” Finally, she turned to him again. “I don’t know why I am this unhappy right now. Like you said, everything’s fine at the moment. And you’re also dealing with Hydra, so that problem should be solved soon…” She sighed. “It’s all so much right now.”

“You miss him.” Tony said simply.

“What do you mean?” She asked curiously.

“Fury. You miss him.” He repeated. “You’ve always been with him. He’s your idol, you admire him. And you’ve been with him for a long time, it’s natural to miss him now that he’s not around anymore.”

“You notice more than I thought.” She said thoughtfully.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all.” She smiled at him. “Like I said, working for you is far more enjoyable than I thought.” While saying that, she’d leaned closer to him.

He cleared his throat. “I’m glad about that. That you don’t think that I’m such an ass like everyone says.”

“Many people say that you can be very charming if you want to.” She replied. “But it’s not that. You really _care_ , Tony. And that’s what I didn’t expect. That it would be so easy with you.” She was still smiling at him and slowly, he started to feel uncomfortable. If he’d been able to move, he would have stood up right now. Maybe Pepper had been right and Maria really liked him. What a strange thought… 

“What will you do when he comes back?” He asked to change the subject and turned away when she was still coming closer.

She frowned and luckily, she leaned back again. “What do you mean?”

He rolled his eyes. “We both know that Fury isn’t dead. And he’ll come back.”

For a few moments, she looked at him silently and then she chuckled. “You really don’t miss anything. When he’ll call, I’ll be there for him.” She explained. “He might not be the Director anymore, but I’m still loyal to him. When he needs me, I’ll leave New York and go to him.” Did he just imagine it or did she sound sad at the last words?

“And then all those SHIELD agents will vanish again too?”

She shrugged. “I really don’t know what will happen then.” She admitted. “But I don’t think that he’ll come back any time soon.”

“No direct threat to the world that needs his attention?” Tony guessed and she nodded. For his liking, she was still too close to him.

“We’ll have to see where this all will go.” Somehow, he knew that she didn’t just mean SHIELD and Fury. “And thank you, Tony.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What for?”

“For trying to make this easier for me. And for cheering me up.”

He chuckled and hoped that it didn’t sound nervous. “You didn’t seem like you need someone to cheer you up, if I can be honest.”

“You can _always_ be honest with me.” She whispered seriously. “And as you said, we all have doubts sometimes. And sometimes, we all need someone to talk.” 

He nodded. “I just thought that you would talk to someone else. Maybe Nat or Clint…” He shrugged. “Not me. After all, we don’t know each other that well.” We don’t know each other at all, he corrected himself in his thoughts.

“But we can get to know each other.” Maria replied. “And I don’t think that Natasha and Clint would understand it.”

“I bet they would understand everything better than I do. After all, you’re all SHIELD. I’m not.”

“Are you sure about that?” She asked slowly. “To me, it seems like you’re pretty much involved in SHIELD business.”

“No, I’m not. Just because you’re staying under my roof, it doesn’t mean that I’m okay with everything that you’re doing.” He said slowly and in a serious tone. “I’m doing my thing and I’m an Avenger. But not SHIELD, I never wanted to be part of that. And I’ll never be.”

Now he was sure that she looked disappointed. “Maybe you’ll change your mind about that someday.”

“Not going to happen.” He said immediately and somehow, he didn’t regret it when she flinched.

“Tony…” She whispered and stretched out her hand towards him, carefully touching his own hand on the table. He forced himself not to flinch at the contact, but he drew his hand back when she tried to take it.

“There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” He muttered quickly and now he was the one looking out of the window.

“And what would that be?” Maria asked curiously.

“Someone tried to hack the government.” He explained shortly and noticed that his voice sounded colder than before.

When he glanced at her, he noticed that she looked completely calm again. Even the fake smile on her lips was back. “That’s terrible. I bet you found out who it was. Maybe Hydra?”

He nodded. “Partly.”

Now she frowned in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”

He smiled slightly and leaned back to get more distance between them. “One of the hackers has been a Hydra agent, somewhere in the South.” He explained and she still frowned at him. “But there have been two attacks.”

Now she looked even more confused than before. “Two? And who was the second one?”

He looked at her seriously. “I thought that you could help me with that.”

“Me? But how?” If he wouldn’t have known that her surprise was just an act, he would have nearly believed her.

“You can be honest with me. I know.” He emphasized every word and she raised her eyebrows.

“Tony, this it not funny. What are you talking about?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” He asked, slowly loosing his patience. He pointed at the screen next to him, which light up. “I’ve never been more serious. And now I want you to tell me why on earth you tried to hack the government. From a SHIELD server that is standing in _my_ tower. What have you been thinking?!?” He was talking very loud now and he had to breathe in deeply. He didn’t want to shout at her, at least not yet. 

When she looked at the names on the screen, she turned to him again, an angry look on her face. “When this is a test, Mr. Stark –“ She began, but he interrupted her.

“I SAID YOU SHOULD BE HONEST WITH ME!” He shouted and now she was looking offended. She stood up abruptly.

“Why should I hack the government?” She nearly shouted angrily.

“That’s what you should tell me. And leaving won’t do you any good, Agent Hill. JARVIS, lock the doors. No one gets out of here before I say it.” Just before Maria Hill reached the door, there was a clicking sound and JARVIS locked all the doors. With a frustrated sigh, she turned to him again.

“Tony, you know that I would never do something like that –“

“It’s Mr. Stark.” He interrupted her coldly. “Would you care to explain it now, Agent Hill? I have time, we can stay here for as long as you want. I want an explanation. I know that you did it and I know which files you wanted to see. What I don’t understand is why you did it. What does SHIELD need files about the latest strange incidents all over the world for? And about the peace contracts the USA have made with other countries? Oh and I shouldn’t forget the latest operations of the US army all over the world?”

Slowly, she sank down on her chair again. This time, there was more distance between them. “I don’t have to explain my actions to you.” She said simply.

“Oh you do, after all, you’re in my tower. And I can throw you out in no time.” The familiar atmosphere from before was long gone. Now there was a tension between them and Tony wasn’t sure if she wouldn’t have thrown herself on him, if he wouldn’t have been injured. Luckily, his suit was standing in the corner of the lab, ready do defend him if it was necessary. And the other Avengers were in the tower, it wouldn’t take them long to be there. It was strange, a few minutes ago they were talking about feelings and now this. Maybe Tony should have mentioned those hackers earlier…

“You wouldn’t do that.” Maria Hill muttered, but she didn’t sound convinced.

He raised his eyebrows. “Give me reasons why I shouldn’t do it.” He said simply.

They stared at each other angrily for a few moments, before she sighed. “Alright, but it’s a long story.”

“As I said, I have time.” He replied grimly.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Hey Pepper.” Natasha greeted her when she entered the kitchen. Nat was sitting on a chair and smiled widely.

Pepper smiled back at her. “What are you doing here, all alone?” She asked curiously.

Natasha shrugged. “I just needed some time for myself.” She said, which didn’t sound like her at all.

Pepper sat down next to her and raised her eyebrows. “Do you want to talk about it?” She asked softly. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have waited for me here, right?”

She sighed. “I forgot how attentive you are.” Natasha muttered. “And I bet you were looking for Tony, I don’t want to bother you, Pepper. After a day at work, you’ve surely got better things to do than to listen to me.”

“You know that it’s not true.” Pepper argued immediately. However, Nat was right. She had been looking for Tony. After finishing her work, Pepper had changed from her dress into something more comfortable – jeans and a t shirt – and then she started to look for Tony. She could also have asked JARVIS, but this didn’t seem right to her. She wanted to make sure that he was alright and not walking around, it wouldn’t do him any good at the moment. But Natasha looked distressed and now that they were here, she had to listen to her problems. Pepper would be a lousy friend if she just left now. “So what’s going on?”

Natasha looked around, probably to make sure that they were alone. “Do you remember the shopping trip I want to make?”

She nodded. “I would have time for that soon.” Pepper explained. She’d nearly forgotten Natasha’s request after everything that happened.

Nat smiled slightly. “That would be great. And I bet you want to know the reason for it.”

“Is this about Bruce?” She asked and Nat’s surprised expression told Pepper that her guess was right.

“How do you know that?”

She chuckled. “Come on, do you think I’m blind? I see the way you look at him. And the way he looks at you. You spend much time together recently. Tony said something similar once.”

To her surprise, Natasha blushed. “Tony noticed it as well?”

Pepper smiled reassuringly. “You know that he notices more than everyone thinks.”

Natasha sighed. “That’s true. Do you think the others…?”

Pepper smiled slightly. “I bet Steve saw it too. And Clint.”

Natasha groaned. “You want to tell me that Thor is the only person who might not have noticed anything?”

“They’re your friends, of course they notice something like that. And it’s not a bad thing.” She tried to calm her down.

However, Natasha’s face darkened. “But it is.”

She frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“I just don’t know what to do. About Bruce. This never happened to me before. Normally, I know exactly what I’m doing. But with him… He always surprises me. And it’s so easy to be around him, but then I remember who he is again, and who I am, and everything gets complicated…” She sighed in frustration.

“What do you mean by that?” Pepper asked slowly, already having an idea what she was talking about.

“I’m not supposed to feel like this.” Natasha muttered. “And especially not for someone from the team. Feelings are dangerous when they’re mixed with work. Then, things can go wrong very fast. And you know what Bruce can do. He can’t always control it.”

“Feeling is nothing bad.” Pepper argued and her thoughts wandered to Tony. “Yes, it can be difficult sometimes. Especially in dangerous situations. But it’s worth it.”

“You’re speaking from experience.” Natasha noticed.

Pepper nodded.

Before she could reply something, Nat continued. “But with you and Tony, it’s different. You’re not both in danger, when we go out on a mission, you stay here. You’re safe then. That makes it easier for him. With Bruce and me, it wouldn’t be like that. We can’t just stay behind.”

“Would you even want that?” Pepper asked.

She shook her head. “Or course not. And Bruce wouldn’t do that either.”

“So you’re afraid that it would make things complicated when you’re on a mission with the Avengers.” Pepper summarized what Natasha just told her.

The other woman nodded.

“But there’s more to it, right? If this would be your only fear, you could just talk to Bruce and figure things out.” Pepper noted. Natasha seemed nervous, was she afraid?

“Maybe you’re right…” She muttered now. “It’s childish. But I’m already behaving like that, so I can also just tell you… What if Bruce doesn’t like me?”

Pepper raised her eyebrows. “But you surely must have noticed how he looks at you. And feeling isn’t childish at all.”

Natasha’s lips twitched. “For you that may be true. But I’ve been raised differently.” Her tone made it clear that she didn’t want to talk about this anymore. “Do you really think that Bruce likes me?”

Pepper nodded. “Don’t you think so too?”

After a few moments of hesitation, she shrugged. “I’m not very good at this.” Natasha admitted.

“Then trust me, he likes you very much. You should have seen his face when you arrived in Malibu last week and you were hurt. He looked devastated.”

Now there was a small smile on Natasha’s lips. “He saved my life. Together with Tony.”

Pepper nodded. “You’ve been lucky.”

“Tony said this as well.” Suddenly, she grinned. “And you can be lucky that we came to Malibu. Otherwise, you would still be ignoring each other and being miserable.”

Pepper sighed. “Probably you’re right.”

“I know.”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright, thank you!” Pepper muttered. “Even if I really don’t want you to come back from a mission like that again.”

“The last one wasn’t that bad.” Nat argued, but she stopped when she saw the look on Pepper’s face. Tony came back injured, that shouldn’t be that bad? “I’m sorry, Pepper. Next time, we’ll all come back uninjured.” She said sanguinely.

“You better make sure of that.” Pepper muttered darkly, the image of Tony coming back to her mind, being half carried by Steve and bleeding. She shivered.

“Hey, no dark thoughts.” Natasha interrupted her. “So when can we go shopping?” She changed the subject quickly.

“I would be free on Saturday.” Pepper suggested, glad about the new theme.

“Because you won’t work on that day, or because you won’t have to keep an eye on Tony anymore?” Natasha asked mischievously.

“Both.” She replied immediately. It was true, then Tony would be allowed to move again, even if he still should take things slow.

“Alright, then Saturday.” Natasha agreed.

“And why do you want to look good for Bruce?” Pepper asked slowly. “I mean, just look at you. You’re always beautiful.”

Natasha chuckled. “Well, I don’t know…” Suddenly, she frowned. “Or is this a bad idea?”

Pepper shook her head. “Not at all. And I could use something new as well. I bet it’ll be fun.”

They talked about clothes for some time, when the elevator opened and Clint came into the kitchen. His hair was still wet from the shower and he wasn’t wearing shoes. He groaned when he sat down. “Remind me that I’ll never train with Thor again.” He muttered and Natasha laughed.

Pepper used this moment to excuse herself. She wanted to see Tony now.

* * *

“So now tell me why you tried to hack the government.” Tony said slowly, his tone still cold. It wasn’t easy to control his anger right now, but somehow he managed it. “And be honest with me, I hate it when people lie.” He already knew that she wasn’t going to be honest with him.

“After the incident with Hydra and Project Inside, it’s not that easy to get new information anymore.” Maria Hill started slowly. “You know that Fury worked with the government. He might have not always liked it, but it was useful. When something strange happened, we were informed immediately and could have a look at it. And Fury was always informed about the latest changes in international policy.”

Tony frowned. “And why is that important for SHIELD?”

“We’re working all over the world. So we need to know what’s going on. When something happens and it’s in a country where a war takes place, we have to operate differently than usual.” She explained it calmly, but Tony could still see the storm in her eyes. She was also angry, but she had it under control.

“Sounds logical.” Tony agreed slowly. “You’re telling me that you didn’t get any information from the government anymore since Fury’s gone.” He summarized her words.

She nodded. “Which makes it more difficult to plan our missions.”

He frowned, looking at the piece of paper with the reports that was still lying on the table. “Doesn’t seem like you’ve problems at getting new cases.” He muttered thoughtfully.

“You don’t know how many missions we’ve planned and carried out before all this happened. This is just a fraction of it.”

“Most of your agents are gone.” Tony reminded her.

She sighed. “That’s true. But we still could do more, if we got any information.”

“What about the new director? Why doesn’t he communicate with the government?” He asked curiously. Somehow, this whole story sounded strange to him.

“It’s now well known who the new director of SHIELD is.” Maria said elusively.

He narrowed his eyes. “Why? He’s running your organization.”

“It’s complicated. And I can’t speak of it. He doesn’t want everyone to know.” Now her tone was hard.

“Im sure I could find out about that.” Tony said immediately, looking at her provocatively.

She stared at him angrily. “I bet you could do that.” She muttered, it was obvious that she wasn’t happy about it. “But that’s not important right now. Let’s just say that we don’t get much information.”

“Why don’t you communicate with the government?” Tony asked simply.

“And then I’ll tell the world that SHIELD still exists and is part of Stark Industries now?” She raised her eyebrows sceptically.

“You’re not part of SI.” He argued immediately. “So you want to operate out of the shadows now, even more than before.”

She nodded. “Makes it easier. Then something like the story with Hydra won’t happen again.”

“And then you just try to hack into top secret government files?” Tony raised his eyebrows. “You know that they could have followed the trace back here, right? And who do you think would have gotten into their view first?”

She sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it like that.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Tony muttered. “Why should you care when they’re arresting me for doing something illegal?” At his words, she flinched.

“I won’t do it again, I promise.” Maria muttered and to his surprise, she really looked guilty now.

“You will not be able to do it again.” Tony corrected her. “I already made sure that this won’t happen again. And I deleted all the traces that could lead them here. I didn’t want my name to appear combined with those hackers.”

Maria’s lips twitched, but she was still looking unhappy. Her anger seemed to be gone. “I’m really sorry, Tony.” This time, he didn’t correct her.

“And what are you going to do now, without those files?” He asked simply, still not believing her story.

“We’ll go on as always.” She said.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Alright, so you’re telling me that you tried to hack into top secret files to get information for your missions. That didn’t work and now you say it doesn’t matter either way, and you’re just going on as always.” He raised his eyebrows. “Somehow, this doesn’t work for me.”

She frowned. “Do you want to say that I’m lying?”

“No. I know it.” He said simply. “You should know that it won’t do you any good.”

“But this is the truth.” She was looking distressed now. Was she just a good actor, or was this whole situation not easy for her? Tony wasn’t so sure. This reminded him again why he didn’t like Maria Hill very much. It was difficult to see through her mask.

He sighed. “Do you want to tell me the truth now, or do you need a night to think about it? But you have to consider that you won’t be able to leave this building before I know the whole story. No more lies.”

“But I’m not lying to you!” She shouted and her loud voice made him raise his eyebrows again.

“You’re so stubborn.”

“This sentence out of your mouth.” Maria muttered angrily.

“Can we now please BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER?” Slowly, he was losing his patience again.

“I am honest!” She shouted back.

He groaned. “Maybe we should continue our conversation tomorrow. And you won’t leave this building before I know the truth.”

“How do you want to make sure that I won’t leave? You can’t even help yourself at the moment.” Maria muttered and looked at his injured leg appraisingly.

He looked at her coldly. “You think that I’m defenceless?”

She looked at him for a few moments, her eyes narrowed. Then she shook her head. “I shouldn’t underestimate you.”

He nodded. “You ‘d better not do that.”

“I won’t be able to leave the building?” She asked, suddenly sounding curious.

He scowled. “We both know that you’d never run away.”

Maria sighed in frustration. “Why do you always have to be right?”

Slowly, Tony was getting tired of this ups and downs in her mood. “You have two possibilities now. Tell me the truth now or tomorrow. I want to know why you tried to hack into those files. And no more lies. But you have to consider one thing. Tomorrow, Steve will be here with us.”

This seemed to surprise her, she looked puzzled. “Steve?”

He nodded. “You’re in the Avengers tower. So it’s his business as well.”

“You’re not playing fair.”

“I never said so.” Tony said, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture.

* * *

Pepper had nearly reached the lab – she’d taken the stairs and not the elevator – when she heard loud voices. Apparently, Tony had company. She stopped when she recognized the voice of Maria Hill. They were still talking? But didn’t he tell her that she would come hours ago?

Pepper forced herself to go on walking. When she got closer, she realized that they weren’t just talking. It sounded as if they were arguing. She frowned, staying out of sight.

“Can we now please BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER?” Tony shouted and Pepper held her breath. She’d barely heard him this angry before. What had happened between them?

“I am honest!” Maria Hill shouted back.

Pepper knew that it was wrong, but she couldn’t help listening to their conversation. Her heart was racing and she would have loved just to storm into the lab and tell Maria Hill to leave Tony alone, but she knew that he wouldn’t like that. This was his fight, whatever it was about. Not hers. And when she took a closer look, Pepper noticed that the doors of the lab were locked. Why did Tony lock them inside together?

When Maria hinted that she could just hurt Tony to leave the tower, Pepper saw red. She had to clench her fists tightly and her nails were digging into her skin. However, this was the only thing keeping her calm. How dare she spoke to Tony like this! And Pepper was sue that he wasn’t defenceless, it sounded as if he knew what he was doing.

They continued to talk and when Tony mentioned Maria trying to hack into files, everything fell into place. There had been two hackers! And Tony didn’t want to tell anyone who the second person was. So this was the reason why he hid it. Apparently, he wanted to confront Maria with it alone. “Because it wouldn’t look good for him when someone found out about it.” Pepper muttered to herself.

Then Tony gave her the choice between telling him the truth now or tomorrow, when Steve would be there as well. Pepper knew that she should leave, if Maria decided to tell Tony the truth now. It wasn’t right to listen to them secretly. However, she had the feeling that Tony already knew that she was there. He didn’t miss anything that happened in his tower. 

“I already told you the truth!” Maria Hill shouted again and Pepper sat down on the stairs. Even to her the lie was obvious.

“Then we’ll see each other again tomorrow, Agent Hill.” She heard Tony say. “JARVIS, make sure that someone accompanies her to her room.”

“ _Shall I inform Captain Rogers_?” JARVIS asked, however Pepper didn’t hear Tony’s reply. There was silence for a few moments before someone called her name. 

“You can come in now, Pep. She’s gone.”

Slowly, Pepper stood up and walked into the lab. Tony was looking tired and his hair was a mess, but he smiled when he saw her. “How much did you hear?”

“Not much.” Pepper admitted. “I just came when you started shouting at her.”

She didn’t want to sit down on the chair, so she walked to the couch. “I shouted at her more than once. You have to be more precise, Pepper.” Tony muttered and stood up slowly. Then he sat down on the couch next to her. Pepper took his hand.

“She was the second hacker?” She asked slowly.

He nodded, looking frustrated again. “And she refuses to tell me why she did it.”

“I noticed that.” Pepper replied dryly and Tony’s lips twitched.

“She’s exhausting.”

“You look tired.” She remarked, the worry in her voice obvious.

He shrugged slowly. “It was a long day.”

“You want to talk to her again tomorrow?”

Tony nodded. “With Steve.”

“Won’t he be surprised? About all this?”

To her surprise, Tony laughed. “Nope. JARVIS informed him about our conversation.” Now he grinned. “From what I’ve heard right before you came in, Steve’s also confused.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” Pepper said and frowned. “Why would she lie to you about this?”

“I bet it’s something personal. I don’t believe that SHIELD needs those government files for their missions.” Tony frowned.

“And you think that she’ll be honest with you tomorrow?” Pepper noticed that she sounded doubtful.

“Probably.” He shrugged. “Otherwise, we have to find a new solution. I don’t want someone who’s constantly lying in my building.”

“You consider throwing them out?” She asked, not sounding disapproving at all.

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Shouldn’t you tell me that this is a bad idea now?” He asked, his tone curious.

Pepper smiled slightly. “Maybe I’ve also had enough of Maria and her games.” She said slowly.

Tony thought about it for a few seconds, before he grinned. “You’re hot when you’re angry.” He muttered and placed a hand on her cheek. He kissed her on the lips quickly but drew back after it. Then he frowned. “She wouldn’t hurt me.” How did he always know what she was thinking? Yes, she was still angry at Maria Hill. For lying to Tony. But mostly for threatening him.

“She shouldn’t talk to you like that.” She noticed that she sounded unhappy now.

He laughed. “I can deal with her. Even when I’m injured, I had the situation under control.”

“Tony…” Pepper began slowly, but he shook his head.

“The suit was ready, the others would have been there fast if I’d called them, and I can also fight without the suit. Steve taught me many tricks. And once I’m healed, we’ll continue with the training.” He smiled at her. “You don’t have to worry. Not in my own tower. In here, nothing can happen to me.”

He leaned in and kissed her again. This time, he let her kiss him back and they stayed like this for some time. When they finally parted, she smiled too. “I wasn’t worried.” She admitted. “To be honest, I would have liked to throw Maria Hill out myself.”

At her words, Tony laughed. “That’s my Pepper!” He grinned and wrapped his arms around her. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She whispered and kissed him again.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Stop it.” Pepper muttered.

Tony raised his eyebrows at her. “What do you mean? I’m not doing anything.”

“You were thinking of standing up and walking around.” She argued. “I could see it from the look on your face.”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t.” He said simply. When she just looked at him sceptically, he sighed. “Alright, maybe I was thinking about it just a little bit. But of course I’ll just remain sitting here, after all, I’m still injured.” He held back the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he smiled at her charmingly.

Pepper didn’t take the bait, her expression remained sceptical. “Once I’m gone, you’ll not behave this good anymore.”

“I remained calm the past three days. I’ll manage two more days, don’t worry about that. And besides, I’ve got lots of things to do today. So it’ll be unlikely that I even get out of here.” He didn’t want to remind her of the meeting with Maria, but since Steve would arrive with her soon, he couldn’t simply talk himself out of it. He really hoped that they would finish this chapter now, it was really annoying him. After this, he would release Hill from her duties as his assistant. He’d already mentioned that to Pepper the previous night. To his surprise, she’s been _very_ happy about it. And she also showed him this. At that thought, Tony had to grin. 

Pepper looked at her watch. “They’ll be here soon. I should leave.”

Tony nodded reluctantly. Pepper wrapped her arms around his shoulders carefully and smiled at him. “I hope you can solve his problem now.”

“Me too.” He whispered and leaned in to kiss her. She drew back far too early for his liking.

“I’ll see you later.” With one last smile, Pepper left the lab.

He sat there in silence for a few moments. When he was allowed to go outside again, he would have dinner with Pepper in some fancy restaurant. There were a few places here she liked, maybe he could already make a reservation. They could also leave the city for a day, a trip would be nice. Just the two of them, alone. And he would drive north, probably with Steve, to look at the piece of land for their new facility. He needed to meet a few architects there before everything could start.

“JARVIS, did you analyse the movements of our skyscraper man by now?” Tony asked in the silence of his lab.

“ _Yes Sir, and it is very interesting. It seems as if the person, it is indeed a man, holds onto something. The material seems to be like a thin rope, but it is far more stable and elastic. And he did not place it there._ ” JARVIS explained and showed Tony the records again. 

Tony looked at it closely. “You’re right, I can’t see a rope.” He muttered. “And I didn’t notice one when I was there myself. But how does he do it then? He can’t carry it with him, he wouldn’t be able to place it on another building and he only holds into it after he jumped…” He thought about it for some time and looked at the records again, but he couldn’t find the solution to that riddle. At least, not yet.

The sound of the elevator doors opening ripped him out of his thoughts.

Steve and Maria entered the lab. Steve smiled at Tony and sat down on the chair next to him, which left the couch for Maria Hill. Tony and Steve exchanged a look. Hill was looking tired and serious. She didn’t greet Tony, but he didn’t expect her to do it either. After breakfast, Tony and Steve had talked about their tactic for this conversation. They wanted to see if she told them the truth first. If she wouldn’t, Steve would be nice to her while Tony tried to get the truth out of her in the hard way.

The look Steve gave Tony was reassuring. Did he already talk to Maria? Maybe, he looked confident that this would end well. The previous afternoon, after he’d accompanied Maria to her quarters, Steve had visited Tony in his lab. He’d been shocked by her behaviour, he also didn’t expect Maria Hill to act like this. They came to the conclusion that it had to be something personal, otherwise she would tell them the truth. But why was she so scared that they’d find the real reason for the hacking? They would have to find out about this now.

“So do you want to tell us the truth now? I’m really tired of your games, Agent Hill.” Tony said and raised his eyebrows at her. Next to him, Steve also looked at her questioningly.

Hill sighed. “I don’t have a choice, unless I want SHIELD to be thrown out of here.” She muttered. “And you won’t leave me alone, if I don’t tell you why I did it in the first place. But this is something personal, you have to keep it to yourselves.”

“That won’t be a problem.” Tony said slowly, not promising her anything.

“We won’t tell anyone.” Steve assured her and at his words, Maria relaxed.

“Alright. And the information for SHIELD wasn’t a lie.” She said with a look at Tony.

“But not the whole truth either.” He argued.

“That’s true.” She answered after a few moments of hesitation. “As I said, it’s complicated.”

“Then make us understand everything.” Tony requested.

“Two weeks ago, a man who’s been working for the government vanished.” Maria Hill began her story. Tony and Steve exchanged a look but didn’t say anything. Government? Wasn’t this about SHIELD? “His name is Ben, the last name isn’t important for this story. He was out on a mission in Nigeria, they should find the leaders of a secret organisation which trades with drugs and people. And probably weapons, they weren’t sure of that yet. I wanted to find out what happened to him.”

“And why are you interested in his fate? Do you know him?” Steve asked calmly.

Maria nodded. “Yes, I do.” She said simply. “We were in contact, even when he was out on missions. He worked for SHIELD many years ago, but he left us to do something else. He wasn’t always happy with the way Fury saw things.”

“And then you change from SHIELD to the government? Both not the best choices, I’d say.” Tony muttered sceptically.

Hill’s eyes narrowed. “He’s a warrior and he wanted to fight. The army was the best choice.”

“There are more possibilities than just those two.” Steve threw in. “But that’s nothing we have to discuss now. So he vanished. And you were in contact. Did he leave you a message?”

She nodded. “In fact, he did. Two days before he disappeared.”

“What did the message say?” Tony asked and when she looked at him angrily, he held up his hands. “Just asking.”

“Yes, and I just wanted to tell you that.” She muttered. “He just said that something strange happened, which might be of interest for SHIELD. He didn’t go into details, just that the organisation wasn’t what it seemed to be. And he mentioned supernatural events. That’s all he could tell me before the line went dead. Two days later, his whole regiment was reported missing.”

“Supernatural events.” Tony repeated. “Seems to be perfect for SHIELD.”

“He was close to you, wasn’t he?” Steve asked softly. Tony had also noticed the sadness in her voice, but he didn’t plan to ask. Of course Steve would want to know something like this.

“Yes, he is. Back when he was at SHIELD, we always worked together. We were a team, just like Natasha and Clint.” Maria explained and hesitated again. “And he’s my brother.”

Tony and Steve exchanged a short glance again. A brother? That was a surprise. No wonder that she wanted to find out what happened to him. “And when no one could tell you what happened, you tried to get those files.” Tony suspected and she nodded.

“It was a stupid idea, I knew that. But what other choice did I have?”

“You could have talked to us.” Steve said softly. “We could have found a solution for this together. Something less illegal.” At the last words, his voice became serious again. Steve hated everything illegal.

She sighed. “You wouldn’t have helped me.” She muttered and avoided looking at them. “And you can’t help me, even if you want it. It’s not like you can just call the government and ask for the essential information.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. He thought about this for a few moments, considering his next action. To his surprise, he believed her. And by the way she sat there in front of them, looking completely defeated, it didn’t look like she would still lie to them. So what could he do now? He could say too bad and let her deal with this alone. But Steve would be very angry at him then. Tony could tell from the look on his face that Steve had already decided to help, even if she’d acted pretty bad in the past days. Could he help her? He knew a way to get the essential information, but would he use that possibility? After all, he was still very angry at her, for lying and for making Pepper feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, he was an Avenger and they helped people… He forced back a sigh. Seemed like his decision has been made already. Maybe he could still find a way to make her pay for lying… “What if we can do that?” He asked simply.

At his words, she stiffened and looked at him attentively. Maybe her expression was also suspicious, but he ignored that.

“Colonel Rhodes?” Steve asked quietly and Tony nodded with a slight smile.

“Rhodey.” He agreed. “I bet he can ask someone, after all, he’s also working for them. And he still owes me a favour. For the suit.” Tony explained at Steve’s questioning look.

Then he turned to Maria again. “Telling us this wasn’t difficult at all, was it?” He asked slowly, still not happy with her.

She shook her head. “No. And I’m sorry. I just thought that I could solve this alone.”

“Everyone needs help sometimes, that’s nothing bad.” Steve explained softly.

“Doesn’t mean that lying was alright. And that we forgive you that easily.” Tony added sternly.

“If you want to throw me out of your tower –“ Maria started, but Tony interrupted her.

“No one will be thrown out.” At least not yet. “But it will have consequences. JARVIS already enabled most actions in the internet from your computers which could lead to illegal activities. And he will observe all your actions. When he finds something, he’ll inform me immediately. And next time, I’ll not be so nice to you.”

Maria Hill nodded, looking relieved. “Thank you, Tony – Mr. Stark.” She corrected herself quickly.

Tony nodded. “Tony’s fine.” He muttered. “But not in front of Pepper.” He warned her. “You’ll stay away from her. And you won’t be my assistant anymore. We’ll find another job for you.”

“Alright.” She frowned, not looking very happy with the changes. “So I will have to make an appointment when I need to talk to you?”

“Why does that surprise you?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

She looked at her hands. “It’s nothing.”

“So you’ll ask Rhodey for that favour?” Steve changed the subject quickly.

“Yes, I’ll call him. He’s in Washington, I think. Or he’ll be there this weekend. I’m not sure about that. I’ll ask him about Ben Hill. I need the other names. And the organisation they observed.”

“I can send you a list.” Maria said quickly.

“However, I’m not sure if the Avengers can help you with this, Agent Hill.” Tony said in his most official tone. “Maybe SHIELD has to deal with it alone. After all, we’ve got our own missions.”

She nodded, this time she looked more confident. “We can deal with it by ourselves.” She said in a challenging tone. “Just tell us where to go, then I’ll not bother you with it again.”

To Tony’s surprise, Steve didn’t say anything else. He’d already expected him to offer their help, if SHIELD really needed it. But when Tony glanced at him, he saw a serious expression on Steve’s face. The past months had lessened his trust in SHIELD as well. And it was true, it wasn’t a task for the Avengers.

Steve asked Maria to tell him something about her brother, but Tony wasn’t really listening anymore. He asked himself why on earth he had asked her to tell the truth. As if they didn’t have enough problems already.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Wait, she’s got a brother?” Pepper asked, not able to hide her surprise. “But why did she lie, when he really needs help?”

Tony sighed. “Ask me another question I can actually answer.” He muttered. The rest of the day had passed rather quickly. After Hill had left, Tony discussed this whole business with Steve. He believed her, but still thought that she should have asked for help earlier. And Tony and Steve agreed that the Avengers shouldn’t intervene in this more than necessary. Which meant that Tony would ask Rhodey for help, but not more. He would be in New York in a few days, however Tony had called him after Steve left. He wanted this story to stop, he’d give Hill her information and then he didn’t want to hear anything of it anymore. 

The rest of the day, he’d spent with Bruce in his lab. They were doing research on the base in Alaska and next to that, they were working on Extremis. Secretly, of course. Pepper would freak out if she knew that Tony still had that substance. And that he thought of using it again one day.

In the evening, he’d gone to bed with Pepper early. And that’s where they were now, lying in bed, arms wrapped around each other. He just told her about their conversation with Maria.

“Maybe she didn’t want anyone to know that her brother’s in trouble.” Pepper suspected.

“And then you just try to hack into top secret government files?” Tony asked and raised his eyebrows.

“Oh come on, you’d do anything if Rhodey or Steve were in trouble. Or if it was me. Doing something illegal wouldn’t stop you.” Pepper smiled slightly, knowing that she had a point there.

“I’m not like Maria Hill at all.” Tony grumbled.

“And that’s good. If you were so full of yourself, I would never like you.” Pepper ran a hand down his back and kissed his cheek.

He raised an eyebrow. “I am self-obsessed.” He reminded her.

“But not that much anymore. You’ve changed. And you’re different. You’re not always taking yourself seriously.”

“Are you sure?” He asked thoughtfully.

She nodded. “I know you better than you do.” She said in a convinced tone.

He grinned. “Sometimes, I really think you do.” He admitted slowly. However, his smile faded quickly. “I really hope this will be settled soon. We’ve got enough problems on our own already.”

Pepper sighed. “Sadly, you’re right. But don’t worry, Rhodey will get her the necessary information, and then SHIELD will deal with it alone. I’m sure you won’t even be needed anymore.”

“I don’t have that much trust in SHIELD anymore. Neither does Steve.” He explained.

“Doesn’t surprise me, after everything that happened.” Pepper agreed.

They were lying there in silence for some time, Pepper’s fingers were drawing random patterns on Tony’s back. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling. “I’ll just have to stay in the tower tomorrow, then I am free to go again.” He muttered suddenly.

“Yes, but you still have to stay calm, your leg needs to heal. And your back is still covered in red and purple bruises.” She reminded him.

“Doesn’t mean that we can’t go out.”

At those words, Pepper leaned back and looked at him with raised eyebrows. She was clearly surprised. “You want to go out with me?”

He nodded and smiled at her. “Why not? I’ve got a beautiful girlfriend and we’re in New York. Let’s have some fun.”

She chuckled. “The last time you said we were having fun, it ended in disaster.” She said slowly, he knew that she was thinking of the charity gala.

“But this time, it’ll be just you and me. No one else and no cameras. We can go out for dinner, there are a few nice restaurants close to the tower. Or we can leave the city, head north. A day outside of the city where no one can bother us. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“I can’t just leave for an entire day, I’ve got a company to run.” Pepper’s voice was hesitant, but he could hear the longing in it. She wanted to be alone for some time just as much as he did.

“The company will be fine for one day without you.” He muttered and began to kiss her cheek. Then he let his lips wander down her throat. Pepper sighed, her eyes were closed now.

“But there are so many things that I have to deal with…” She stopped when he moved further south.

“Can wait for one day.” He whispered again and rolled them over, so that he was on top of her. “Let’s do this. And I’ll turn off my phone, then no one can bother us.”

“Time just for ourselves sounds good.” She muttered breathlessly. “No SI, no Avengers, no Iron Man…”

“Just the two of us.” He agreed and grinned when she buried her hands in his hair. Then she pulled him towards her and kissed him passionately.

“Alright, we’ll do this.” Pepper smiled at him widely, her eyes were shining. “Maybe we can also leave for two days…” She suggested, looking at him innocently.

“Make it three.” He muttered huskily and kissed her again.

* * *

“We’ll leave next Friday.” Tony said two days later. He and Pepper were sitting in the kitchen together, having breakfast. The other Avengers weren’t up yet, it was still early. “You have the weekends free either way and if there’s an emergency, someone else can deal with it. And the others will be fine for a few days without me.”

She raised her eyebrows, but she was smiling. “And you think you can do that? Three days without your technology?”

He nodded immediately. “I bet you can distract me from it.”

Now she grinned. “I think I can do that.” She agreed. “I look forward to it.”

“Me too.” He smiled slightly. “So you’ll go and see our new employees today?”

She nodded. They’d hired a few more technicians for the new reactor in New York. Pepper would say hello to them, she said it was good when all the employees knew her. Building trust and things like that. “You’re sure that you don’t want to come with me?” She asked again. She’d already tried to convince him, but he had something else in mind.

“There are still so many things I have to deal with in the lab, then there’s the problem in Alaska, and today, I’m officially free again.” He explained. “And besides, I’ll meet them in two weeks, when I’ll build the reactor. If the material will arrive by then.”

When he mentioned the material, Pepper grimaced. They’d ordered it months ago, but somehow there were still things missing. And without them, Tony wouldn’t be able to work properly. This never happened before. “This time, everything will work.” She’d called the responsible companies a few days ago and they’d assured her that the material would arrive in time. “So I’ll see you again this afternoon?”

He nodded. “And today is movie night. Clint and Thor chose a few action movies, I bet it’ll be hilarious to watch them.”

“You mean when they comment every scene because it’s unrealistic?”

Tony grinned. “It’s worse when we’re watching science fiction.”

“Oh I can imagine.” Pepper muttered and stood up. She kissed Tony quickly and grabbed her purse. “See you later.”

She headed for the elevator and Tony waited until she left. Then he headed to the garage. He needed to get something in the city and it would take some time. Luckily, Pepper would be busy the entire day.

* * *

In the afternoon, Tony was standing on the roof of the tower. His trip to the city has been successful. At least, he hoped that Pepper would like it… He grinned when he thought of the small box that was hidden in his lab now.

“JARVIS, did you find anything?” He asked, looking at the sunset over the city.

“ _Yes, Sir. A few cameras have recorded a movement that it similar to the one you saw last week._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

“Where and when?” He activated his new suit. He’d fixed the stabilizers days ago, this time everything would work.

“ _The last record was made about ten minutes ago._ ” 

“Tell me where.” Tony muttered and jumped off the roof.

With JARVIS’ help, finding the person wasn’t difficult. Tony decided not to show himself, wanting to watch the person first. This time, the suit worked and he was able to follow the person. It was a man, JARVIS had been right. He didn’t look very muscular and not very tall, probably he was still young? He was wearing a mask, so Tony couldn’t see his face. He followed him for some time and in the end, Tony knew what was strange about him.

“ _It looks like he’s holding onto cobwebs._ ” JARVIS said after they’d analysed the remains of one of the ropes. Just that those weren’t ropes. 

“Cobwebs?” Tony muttered and shook his head. Why was he still surprised? His best friend was a super soldier and he was living under the same roof with a god and a man with incredible anger issues. “Let’s follow him some more.”

He did. And for a long time, the man just jumped from roof to roof. Sometimes, he stopped, but Tony didn’t see the reasons why. In the end, he vanished in a small alley of which Tony knew that it was a dead end. After a few minutes, a young man left the alley. He was  _very_ young, with brown hair. Before he moved on, he looked around, probably to make sure that no one saw him. 

When Tony entered the alley a few minutes later, no one could be seen. “JARVIS, it seems like we’ve found him. Do you have the face?”

“ _Of course, Sir._ ”

“Find out who he is.” He muttered and headed back for the tower.

* * *

Steve was already waiting for him on the roof. “Where have you been?” He asked when the suit vanished in the new reactor.

“Testing the new suit. The stabilizers are working now.” Tony explained. “What’s up? You’re looking tired.”

“Sam called half an hour ago.” Steve explained. “He’s still following Hydra.”

“That’s good, so they didn’t catch him.” Tony muttered when they went inside.

“Yes, and he says that they have Bucky’s trace. He was able to listen to one of their conversations.” Steve was looking unhappy, despite the good news.

“What else did they say?” Tony raised his eyebrows. at him and chuckled when Steve looked at him surprised. “Oh come on, you’re looking like something really bad happened. You’re not good at hiding your feelings, Steve.”

They sat down on the couch in Tony’s personal living room. “Sam also heard what they plan to do, once they find Bucky.”

“Let me guess, they want to turn him into the Winter Soldier again.” Tony suspected.

“Yes, and you’ll never guess who the target is.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “I suspect not you anymore?”

Steve nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “In a few months, there’ll be a peace conference in Vienna. Apparently, there’ll be someone who’s caught Hydra’s interest.”

Tony frowned. “Politicians?” He muttered, thinking about it again. “That doesn’t seem to fit, does it?”

Steve shook his head. “Sam also doesn’t understand it. He wanted to hear more, but they moved further north then, so he couldn’t follow the conversation anymore.”

“JARVIS, we need to know who’s invited for that conference.” Tony said. “And underline everyone who could be of interest for Hydra.”

He exchanged a look with Steve. “This seems to get more and more complicated.”

Steve nodded. “We have to stop Bucky, preferably before Hydra can control his mind again.”

“Would be good… Otherwise, we just try to hit him on the head very hard.” At Steve’s shocked expression, Tony shrugged. “It works with Bruce.”

“You’re impossible.” Steve muttered, but didn’t have a better idea.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Peter Parker…” Tony muttered, looking at the screen thoughtfully. “He’s still a boy.”

“ _He is attending High School._ ” JARVIS agreed. “ _And he seems to have special powers, though I could not find out why, Sir._ ” 

“I want to meet him.” Tony decided immediately. “This kid seems to be special, that’s right. And we all know how difficult that can be…” Was it difficult for Peter Parker? Tony thought so. After all, he seemed to keep his powers secret. Which wasn’t too stupid.

“ _When do you plan to meet him_?” JARVIS asked. 

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll think about it. Now doesn’t seem to be a good time, there’s so much going on. Keep an eye on him, J. And besides, I don’t want to scare him.”

“ _Do you think that it would scare a teenager when Tony Stark shows up at his front door?_ ” Sometimes, Tony asked himself why he gave JARVIS so much character. 

“Probably.” He said simply and their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the elevator. The information about Peter Parker vanished on the screen and Tony turned around. Steve entered the lab, smiling slightly.

“You wanted to talk to me.” Steve said when he said down next to him.

Tony nodded. “JARVIS got us the information about the conference in Vienna.” He explained and the data appeared on the screen. “It’s not just a normal peace conference. There are certain other things that will be discussed.”

Steve raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “Why am I already suspecting that this isn’t good?”

“Well, you’re right. It’s about us, in a way. “

Now he seemed to be confused and Tony ran a hand through his hair again. “They’ll be discussing the rights of superheroes. New York was the catalysator. They decide what the world will do when another alien invasion will come.”

“What exactly does that mean for us?” Steve asked with narrowed eyes. “That we won’t be able to make our own decisions anymore?”

Tony shook his head. “I read the files, something like that isn’t involved in the discussion. It’s more like ‘how much power can we give them without giving everything away’. You know that stuff, governments don’t like others making the decisions.”

“like the nuke in New York. When Fury’s been overruled.” Steve muttered. “And since SHIELD doesn’t really exist anymore, at least not officially, they have to find a new solution?”

Tony nodded. “That’s their plan. But that’s just point to, primary it’ll be a normal piece conference. Every country will have at least one representative there.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Many people in one place. And all of them have power. The perfect situation for Hydra.”

Tony hesitated. “Yes and no. Yes, there are many people with power. No, they’ll all be guarded, security is very important there. No one who’s not invited will get in, they’re already making sure of that. It’s a lot to plan.”

“Seems so.” He frowned. “So who’s invited? Why would Hydra want Bucky to go there?”

“JARVIS, the list, please.” Tony muttered and it appeared on the screen. “First, I didn’t see a scheme. Mostly politicians, nothing interesting. I couldn’t find someone who would be of interest for Hydra.”

“But you found something.” Steve concluded and Tony smiled slightly.

“That’s right. After I’ve let JARVIS check the background of a few people.”

“ _Of everyone who’s invited._ ” JARVIS corrected him. 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Alright, of everyone. Are you happy now?” JARVIS didn’t answer. “Anyhow, there are three people who can be interesting for Hydra. With one I’m sure, the two others are more of a supposition.” He pointed at the screen and three names appeared. “First, Matthew Sitwell. He’s from Germany and his father has been an opponent of Hydra back in the war.”

Steve frowned. “That name sounds familiar.”

“You’ve met his father.” Tony explained. “Back when you were fighting –“

“Oh yes, I remember!” Steve exclaimed loudly. “He wasn’t a nice man. Your father didn’t like him as well.”

Tony nodded slowly. “I know, that’s how I found him.” He really didn’t want to talk about his father now and hoped that Steve would drop the subject. Luckily, he did.

“What does he do on a peace conference?”

“He’s part of the government. I don’t know why they chose him.” Tony shrugged. “But probably, Hydra will know him. Though I’m not sure about that.”

Steve nodded thoughtfully. “And the two others?”

“Thaddeus Ross. And T’Chaka, king of Wakanda.” Tony said simply. There were a few others who might be interesting, but Tony thought these three could be the main targets. “And yes, this might seem odd to you now, but I have my reasons.”

“Isn’t Ross Secretary of State?” Steve asked with a frown.

Tony nodded. “And he was involved in Bruce’s project with the gamma radiations.”

At that information, Steve’s jaw dropped. “We’re talking about the same man?”

Tony nodded. “Sadly, yes. Well, I think he could be interesting for Hydra since he knows much about that project.” He shrugged. “Another speculation.”

“And the last one? King of… Wakanda? I’ve never heard of that country.” Steve muttered.

“Not a surprise. Small state in Africa, mostly farmers. They’re poor. Or that’s what everyone thinks.” Tony explained.

“Why should they pretend to be something they aren’t?” Steve asked, sounding not convinced. “And why should their king be of interest for Hydra?”

Tony smiled slightly. “Tell me, what do you know about Vibranium?”

Now he caught Steve’s interest. “My shield’s made of Vibranium.” He said instantly. “It’s a very rare metal.”

“And nothing’s harder than Vibranium.” Tony agreed. “It’s hard to get, it took my dad weeks to find enough for your shield.” He’d read his old diary once. “What he didn’t know is that it’s not as rare as everyone thinks. You just have to know where to look.”

“Wakanda?” Steve asked sceptically.

Tony nodded. “Don’t ask me how I got that information, it wasn’t that easy. They’re not just very good at hiding, it’s also nearly impossible to hack into their systems.”

Steve’s lips twitched. “Impossible for everyone except Tony Stark?”

He grinned. “Yes, something like that.”

“So you say that Hydra could know about the Vibranium?”

Tony nodded seriously. “Probably. There’s always someone who sides with the wrong people. No one thought that Hydra could infiltrate SHIELD as well, right?”

“Let’s say they want the Vibranium. Why should they attack on a peace conference?”

“King T’Chaka rarely leaves Wakanda. And no, I found that in the newspapers.” Tony muttered.

“What about the security? Wouldn’t it be too dangerous?” Steve stopped for a few moments, a frown on his face. “No, it wouldn’t. It wouldn’t be a problem for the Winter Soldier.” Tony noticed that he said Winter Soldier and not Bucky, but he didn’t comment on it. “Let’s say king T’Chaka is their target and they manage to kill him. What happens then?” 

Tony shrugged. “He’s got a son, T’Challa. Then he’ll be the next king of Wakanda. And I don’t think that he would side with the murderers of his father.” This was far too complicated. Speculations wouldn’t help them right now. “Hydra can’t afford a war with Wakanda.”

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. “Since when do we have so many problems?”

Tony shrugged. Suddenly, he felt tired. “We can speculate about it as much as we want. We wont find the answer to our questions.” He reached for his cup of coffee on the table. “We’ve got to find Bucky and stop all this before it really begins.”

“But Sam is on it, we have to wait until Hydra finds Bucky. Or at least until they’re close, otherwise we’ll never get him.” He sounded tired as well, and frustrated.

“Or we join Sam and help him.” Tony muttered. “Maybe we could be of use there.”

“The conference will be in three months.” Steve reminded him. “We’ve still got time. We know what they plan, if we don’t catch Bucky, we can go to Vienna ourselves and stop him there.”

“That would be dangerous for everyone there…” Tony muttered. “But when we fail, it’s our only choice.” Reluctantly, he agreed with Steve. Just leaving now wouldn’t do them any good either.

“I hope Sam finds them and we can help Bucky before they turn him into the Winter Soldier again.” Steve muttered darkly.

Tony tried to smile at him encouragingly. “It’ll work, we have to believe in it.” Why didn’t his words convince himself? Nevertheless, it seemed to work with Steve. He nodded, a little calmer than before.

“Should we tell the others about it yet?”

Tony shook his head. “We’ll wait until we get more news from Sam.” He decided immediately.

“Alright.” Steve said shortly.

The next minutes passed in silence. Both Tony and Steve were caught in their own thoughts. Tony thought of the piece conference. What if they were wrong and Hydra wanted to be there for other reasons? Maybe the Winter Soldier shouldn’t be there for a special person, but for something else? Thinking about this made his head ache. So many possibilities…

“How was your trip yesterday?” Steve asked suddenly, ripping Tony out of his thoughts.

He raised his eyebrows at him, not sure what he meant.

“You went shopping yesterday, while Pepper was at work.” Steve explained and now he was smiling.

Tony nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, yeah, I was.” He agreed.

“Did you find something?”

Now he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as well. “I did, but it took me hours.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Only the best for Mrs. Potts?”

Tony chuckled. “Always.”

“I’m happy for you, Tony.” He explained and Tony knew that he meant it. “You deserve to be happy.”

He smiled slightly. “No ‘are you sure?’ or ‘did you really think about this enough?’.” He asked curiously.

Steve shook his head and leaned back on his chair. “You thought about it for weeks now. And even before.”

Tony sighed. “I just hope she’ll like it.”

“She’ll love it.” Steve argued immediately. “And now I want to see it.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Alright. But don’t tell anyone.”

* * *

“Tony had an argument with Maria Hill.” Happy said slowly. “I heard her talking about it to a few of our new employees.” It was late in the afternoon. Pepper and Happy just returned from their trip to the new SI building and now they were in the elevator of the tower. The day had been calm. The new employees who would watch Tony’s new reactor once it was finished were all very nice. And they admired Tony, they couldn’t wait to finally meet him in two weeks. When Pepper told them that they would even get to see him work, they’ve been even more excited.

She’d just been thinking about the trip with Tony next weekend, when Happy interrupted her thoughts. Slowly, she turned to him. “She did what?” She asked slowly, collecting her thoughts.

“She told them that she had an argument with Mr. Stark about her work for him.” Happy explained. “I don’t know what was going on those past days, but I’m sure that Tony didn’t complain about that.”

Pepper nodded. Suddenly, her anger towards the other woman was back. “She told them that Tony complained about her.” She muttered and realized how angry she sounded. “This manipulating, thoughtless woman… What else did you hear, Happy?”

He held up his hands in a defensive gesture, surprised by her anger. “Nothing, just that a few of the others laughed when Maria Hill left. And they said something about her thing for Tony and that she’s hopeless.”

“Her thing for Tony?!?” Pepper asked loudly. She realized that the elevator door opened, but she didn’t move. She stared at Happy blankly. Her mind was racing. Was it common knowledge that Maria Hill liked Tony? And why on earth did she tell the other SHIELD employees that they had an argument? Of course, she needed a reason why she wasn’t his assistant anymore. But an argument? And a lie?

Happy swallowed. “That’s what I heard, not more. I swear, I was already late and had to move on quickly.”

Pepper breathed in deeply, trying to stay calm. “I’m sorry, Happy. I didn’t want to yell at you, those news just took me by surprise.”

“So Tony had an argument with Maria Hill. But it was not about her work for him.” Happy summarized.

Pepper nodded. “It was something more personal.” She explained and Happy seemed to understand that she couldn’t say more.

“I just thought you might be interested in this. After all, she’s been talking about Tony.” Happy muttered and finally, Pepper left the elevator with him.

She forced a smile on her lips. “Thank you, Happy, for telling me. I’ll see you tomorrow, same time as usual?”

He nodded, still looking a little insecure. “Alright, have a good evening.”

Pepper looked after him for a few moments, before she headed for their rooms. “JARVIS, where’s Tony?” She asked.

“ _He’s in the lab with Captain Rogers._ ” JARVIS explained immediately. “ _They’re discussing an important subject._ ” 

So they were talking about Bucky, Pepper had already suspected it. “And where’s Maria Hill?”

“ _She’s on her way upstairs, looking for Agent Romanoff._ ” Pepper stopped immediately. 

“She’s coming up here?” Before she realized what she was doing, she already turned around again and headed for the living area of the Avengers. They wouldn’t be there either way, Pepper has met them a few hours ago. Natasha and Bruce have left the tower, they said they needed some air. Secretly, Pepper suspected that they needed some time for themselves. Tony and Steve were still in the lab, Thor was probably in the training area and Pepper had seen Clint with a phone earlier. 

She just entered the living area when Maria Hill was heading for the elevator again. When she heard Pepper’s footsteps, Maria turned around.

“Oh hey Pepper, it’s good to see you. I was looking for Natasha, do you know where she is?” She asked with a smile.

Pepper smiled back, she knew it didn’t look friendly. “Unfortunately, she’s not in the tower.” She said simply. “And I don’t know when she’ll return.”

Maria looked disappointed. “I really needed to talk to her.”

“I bet you can try to phone her.” Pepper suggested. “Or leave her a message.”

She nodded slowly. “That’s what I’ll do.” She was about to turn around again, but then she hesitated. “Is Tony in his lab?”

“Do you need to talk to him as well?” Pepper asked. “From what I’ve heard, you’re not his assistant anymore.”

Maria cleared his throat. “Yes, that’s right. I need to talk to him about something personal.”

The thought of her going to the lab now made Pepper’s heart race. She really didn’t want her to talk to Tony again.  _Not after she’d told lies about him._

“I think I know what you mean.” She said simply, hoping that she wouldn’t make a mistake now.

“I already thought that he told you about it.” Maria muttered, though the smile didn’t leave her lips. “And yes, it’s about that.”

“I don’t think that Rhodey already called him back.” Pepper said in a friendly tone. “Tony will tell you when he does.”

“That’s good.”

They stood there in silence for a few moments, before Maria cleared her throat. “I should leave, I suppose. After all, I’ve got work to do downstairs.”

Pepper nodded slowly. “Now that you don’t have to help Tony anymore, you’ve got more time for SHIELD.” She said simply.

“I enjoyed working for him.” Maria argued immediately and turned away from Pepper when she noticed what she just said.

“Why do you tell your agents that you parted because of an argument then?” Pepper raised her eyebrows.

“We _had_ an argument.” Maria argued. “Why do you even care? I can tell my people what I want. After all, they’re just working for your company on paper.” She sounded stressed now and turned to the elevator again. “Not everyone can have it as easy as you do.” 

This wiped the smile from Pepper’s face. “What do you mean?” She asked suspiciously.

Maria Hill turned around again. “Oh come on, look at you! And at what you have. You’re the CEO of Stark Industries. And you’re the girlfriend of Tony Stark. I’m sure you don’t even know those problems when someone’s life depends on what you do. And on how fast you are.” She sighed. “Why am I even telling you this? As if you’d care.”

Pepper inhaled sharply. “What I care?” She didn’t sound as calm as she’d liked. “You know nothing about me, Agent Hill. You think that my life’s been easy? You’re wrong. I’ve worked hard for everything, otherwise I wouldn’t be here now.”

Maria smiled snootily and it made Pepper’s blood boil. “You’re just here because Tony likes your pretty face. You could never truly understand him. The thrill of a fight, the danger. How heavy it all weighs on you. He says he loves you, but does he really? Or will he leave you once he finds someone else? Someone who fits him better?”

“Someone like you? A spy and a liar? Who keeps secrets from everyone?” Pepper asked coldly. “I won’t tolerate you talking badly about Tony. And you should think about what you just said again. You should leave, Agent Hill. Right now.” She said those words in a sharp tone and without saying anything else, Maria Hill turned around and left.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

In the evening, Tony and Steve left the lab together with Bruce. He’d joined them about half an hour after their conversation about Bucky. Then they’d done more research on the Hydra base in Alaska. Tony and Bruce were close to finding the solution to their problem.

It had been Bruce’s idea to build a transmitter that enabled the machine which prevented any use of technology. With their research, they’d even been able to define the needed frequency. The only problem was that they needed to get close to the reactor in Alaska, otherwise the transmitter wouldn’t work.

They were discussing this now with Steve. However, the lack of information about the base made it difficult to plan anything. In the end, they’d agreed that they needed to have a look at it first. There would be a technology fair in Vancouver in a few weeks, Tony and Bruce wanted to use it as a reason to travel into that direction. On their way back, they would take a detour to Alaska. Steve would accompany them since he thought that it would be too dangerous for the two of them alone. 

The kitchen was empty, apparently, the others had already finished dinner. Somehow, Bruce looked disappointed when he noticed that Natasha wasn’t there anymore. Tony exchanged a look with Steve, who’d noticed it as well. He tried to hide his smile.

Nevertheless, Tony was also disappointed that Pepper wasn’t there. He really wanted to see her and he couldn’t wait for their weekend alone. They really needed time for themselves. Probably, she was already upstairs, waiting for him. The only strange thing was that she didn’t check on him in the lab, she’d always done that in the past days. Maybe she was just tired from a day at work.

When they finished dinner, he said goodnight to Steve and Bruce and went upstairs. He found Pepper in their living room, looking out of the window. She had her back turned to him, so Tony couldn’t see her face. She also didn’t move when he approached her.

Without saying anything, Tony sat down next to her. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He couldn’t quite interpret the look on her face, it was a mixture of thoughtfulness and something else. Was it frustration?

They sat there in silence and Tony tried to find a reason for her frustration. However, he didn’t think that it was something he’d done. But what happened then?

After about five minutes, Pepper turned to him. He smiled at her and raised his eyebrows. “It’s good to see you, how was your day? You looked so thoughtful there, I didn’t want to bother you.”

A small smile appeared on Pepper’s face and she chuckled. “You know that you never bother me.” She leaned in and kissed him. “Work was alright, as usual.”

“The new employees are nice?” Tony asked.

She nodded. “And eager to meet you, they were disappointed when I came alone.” She told him and chuckled again. “I think they’ll throw many questions at you when they finally meet you.”

Tony grinned. “I can deal with that.” He said and touched Pepper’s cheek carefully. “You look tired.”

“Work’s been tiring.” She replied simply, but he didn’t believe her.

“Normally, you’re not so silent after work. What happened?” His voice was soft now and he ran his thumb down her cheek to her lips. It made her close her eyes.

“It’s nothing.” She whispered and he knew that she wanted him to change the subject. However, it bothered him that something was wrong. Or at least it felt like it. He always knew when Pepper was hiding something from him.

“Pepper.” He whispered and she opened her eyes again. “Didn’t we agree to talk about everything?”

“I know.” She was silent for a few moments. Tony knew that her hesitation meant something bad. “Can’t we talk about it tomorrow?”

“And then you lie awake next to me the entire night, worrying about it.” Tony shook his head. “I don’t want that. So no, we talk about it now.” He kissed her cheek. “You know that I love you? More than anything?”

Her lips twitched. “I do. And I love you too.” This time, he kissed her lips and wrapped his arms around her shoulders carefully.

“So what’s wrong?” He asked again, hoping that she’d tell him this time.

“Do you know that Maria Hill tells her people that you had a fight and that it’s the reason why she isn’t your assistant anymore?” He could hear the anger in her voice. And there was something else, probably annoyance? He couldn’t quite place it.

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?” He asked, not knowing why this should be a problem. “Even if I’d preferred she didn’t say anything.” He shrugged. “But what do I care what a few SHIELD agents think?”

“She told them it was because you didn’t like the way she worked for you.” Pepper still sounded angry. And the look on her face told him that she didn’t understand why he was still so calm.

“Also true. She was exhausting. Though I would have never said it like that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Pepper, what’s wrong? She can talk about me as much as she want, I don’t care. And you also shouldn’t think about her, she’s not worth it.”

“Do you like her?” The sudden question caught him off guard, he stared at Pepper for a few seconds.

“What do you mean?” He asked with a frown.

“Maria Hill, do you like her?” Pepper asked simply, crossing her arms. And suddenly, Tony knew the tone of her voice. Pepper was jealous. What did Hill say to her that she felt this way?

“No.” He replied immediately. “I don’t like her. Never did, never will. And I thought you know that.”

“I’ve been wondering why.” Pepper said suddenly, looking insecure. “After all, she’s a SHIELD agent. And can understand you in a way I never could.”

He stared at her wide-eyed. “What are you saying?” He muttered, shaking his head. Alright, so the two women had a fight. And Hill had said some pretty mean things to Pepper. Maybe he should really throw them out… “Did you talk to her today?”

Pepper’s hesitation told him everything he needed to know. Suddenly, Tony began to feel angry. No, he was furious. And felt the urge to strangle Maria Hill.

“Don’t listen to a thing she says.” Tony said slowly, the anger in his voice obvious. “She’s a liar. And good at manipulating people. I’m going to kill her…”

“Tony.” Pepper said suddenly and grabbed his hands. Was she afraid that he’d just run away and make his threats come true? “It was nothing.” Her anger seemed to be gone, now Pepper was very calm. “She was looking for Natasha and we met in the kitchen. And then we talked and I might have asked her why she told lies about you. She got angry and then we both said mean things.” She smiled at him. “It’s stupid, you’re right.”

He leaned back and breathed in deeply. Pepper had confronted Hill with the lies she told about him? They had a fight because of him? He really wanted to kiss Pepper now, for defending him, even if it wasn’t necessary.

“Why do you think that she could understand me better than you do?” He asked curiously, knowing that it must be something Hill said.

Pepper looked down at their joined hands. “Just an idea.”

They both knew that she was lying and Tony wondered why. “Pepper.” He leaned closer to her. “Be honest, please?”

“She said it.” Pepper whispered and Tony could barely understand her.

“She said WHAT?” His loud voice made them both flinch. “I’m sorry.” He muttered and squeezed her hands. “This took me by surprise.”

“Sometimes, you can be so blind.” Pepper said suddenly.

Tony frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

She rolled his eyes. “She’s hopelessly in love with you. Even the SHIELD agents seem to know about this. Some of them were talking about ‘her thing’ for you.” She felt uneasy telling him this.

Slowly, he let go of her hands. Pepper’s eyes widened slightly, but Tony had already wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Then he buried his face in her hair. “And you can be so stupid sometimes.” He muttered. “No, I never noticed. I would have never noticed it, if you didn’t say it aloud now. And do you want to know why?” Pepper didn’t answer, so Tony continued. “I don’t care how many women like me. I don’t even notice when they do. Because I don’t look at them in that way. And I’ll never do that again.” He leaned back so that he could see her face. “There’s only one woman I see.” 

And then something he’d never expected happened. Pepper’s eyes filled with tears. She tried to blink them away and shook her head. “God, I feel so stupid right now.” She whispered and wanted to wipe away her tears, but he stopped her. Instead, he did it himself.

“Don’t cry, Pep.” He whispered. “You’re perfect. There’s nothing bad about feeling insecure sometimes. And what she said to you was really mean. Please don’t let it get to you anymore, she just tries to anger you.”

Pepper chuckled breathlessly, there were still tears in her eyes. “She was good at it.” She muttered.

“Don’t listen to her anymore. Please, for me?” Tony asked and looked at her pleadingly. This whole story with Maria Hill had to end, he really hated it.

Pepper swallowed. “I try.” She muttered.

“No, not trying. Just do it, you’re so strong, Pep. You can do that. We’ve faced worse things than Maria Hill, didn’t we? I’ve never met a stronger woman than you.” He kissed her cheek again, they were still wet with tears.

His attempt to cheer her up seemed to work since Pepper chuckled and smiled at him. “Alright, I won’t let her get to me like this anymore. I promise.” She kissed him on the lips quickly, but he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer.

“Only a few more days, then we’ll leave.” Tony whispered. “And then I’ll have you all to myself.” He felt her shiver at his words and grinned against her lips.

“You have me now too.” She whispered and ran her hands down his chest. She stopped on the spot where the arc reactor had been once. His heart was racing now, like every time she touched him. Suddenly, she slipped her hands under his shirt and touched the scars softly. He closed his eyes and gasped. Then he pulled her closer until she was straddling him.

“When you’re not careful, I might not let you go again.” He muttered darkly and slowly began to unbutton her shirt.

“I can live with that.” She smiled at him and her eyes were shining. Then she kissed him again.

* * *

“So what happened today? You said this morning that you needed to talk to Steve about something and that it was urgent.” Pepper muttered later, when they were lying in bed together. Tony had his arms wrapped around her and Pepper used his chest as a pillow.

“It was about Bucky.” Tony explained.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Pepper asked quietly. “Did Sam find him?”

“Not yet. He’s still following Hydra. He was listening to one of their conversations.” Tony summarized what Sam heard and his conversation with Steve. “We’ll have to be on alert now. When Sam know where Bucky is, Steve and I will leave immediately. The three of us will be able to deal with him.”

“I hope so. From what you told me before, he seems to be very strong.”

Tony nodded. He’d seen a few records. He was very good, which wasn’t a surprise.

“And when you don’t find him?” There was concern in Pepper’s voice.

“Well go to Vienna. I’m sure I can get us in, that won’t be a problem. And then we’ll get him there.” Tony explained.

“And you really think the king of Wakanda is their target?” Pepper sounded thoughtful. “I’ve never heard of that country before.”

“Not a surprise.” Tony muttered. “And yes, probably. We couldn’t find anyone else.”

“The two others were also possible targets.” Pepper reminded him.

“When you think like that, there are even more people who could be the target. Not just T’Chaka, Matthew Sitwell and Thaddeus Ross. However, they could be most interesting to Hydra.” Tony thought of a few other names he’d seen on that list. One was even a SHIELD agent, Hill had managed to get one of her people in. Or was that the work of the new director? And Everett Ross would be there, CIA. He was working with Thaddeus Ross (nope, not related) and probably, he also knew things. But why would Hydra want to kill any of them? It just didn’t make sense.

“I’m sure you’re right with your guess.” Pepper muttered, he could hear how tired she was. “Just be careful.”

“We always are.” Tony muttered and kissed the top of her head.

“When did our life get so complicated?”

Tony stared at the ceiling for some time. “I ask myself the same sometimes…”

* * *

“You’ll leave with Pepper this weekend?” Rhodey asked and grinned at Tony. “This is a surprise. Normally, you never take time for yourselves.”

Tony grunted. “We do that, but in the previous months, it was difficult.”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “You should go out more often. I bet it’ll be good for you.”

Rhodey had arrived early in the morning, when Tony had been in the gym with Steve. He was teaching Tony how to fight without a suit and he was making progress now that his leg and back were better. Rhodey had watched them, making comments all the time. After some time, Tony and Steve had both decided to ignore it and act as if Rhodey wasn’t there.

In the afternoon, Tony and Rhodey went to the lab. Steve was staying upstairs with the others, they were discussing strategies (or at least they pretended to do it). Now Tony and Rhodey were sitting in the lab, Tony on his usual chair, Rhodey on the couch.

Tony ran a and through his hair. “Probably, I really need a holiday.”

Rhodey laughed. “You really do.”

Tony cleared his throat. “So what did you find out?”

Rhodey knew immediately what he meant since he got serious again. “They didn’t call me back yet.” He muttered. “Apparently, the mission is top secret. But you already knew that.”

Tony nodded. “So they’ll call you when they know something new?”

“Yes, and I hope they’ll do it soon. This really seems to bother you.”

“You know me too well.” Tony muttered.

“Why don’t you just throw them out when she’s so annoying?” Rhodey asked curiously.

“It’s not that easy.” Tony said slowly. “They don’t have anywhere else to go. And SHIELD’s still doing very much to save the world and so on, you know that stuff. I’ve seen the reports, they’re really busy. Without them, it’d look much worse. And we’d have more to do.”

Rhodey nodded slowly. “Alright, I get it. When I get a call, you’re the first one to know it.”

Tony smiled. “Thank you, Rhodey. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Rhodey laughed. “You promised me something, don’t forget that.”

“Your chance might come sooner than expected.” Tony said now and Rhodey raised his eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

Tony told him about the base in Alaska quickly. “We might need your help. But I must warn you, it’ll be hard without technology.”

Rhodey shook his head. “Tony, are you crazy? You know that danger doesn’t scare me off.” He grinned again. “I will be helping the Avengers, that’s so cool.”

Tony laughed. “When you’re there with us, you’ll not say it again. Normally, our missions end in chaos.”

“I can deal with that.” Rhodey replied immediately. “Did you already tell the others that I’ll join you?”

Tony nodded. “They’re alright with it. Though Steve insists on you joining us on the strategy meetings. And you have to train with us.”

Rhodey’s grin turned even wider. “And when do we start?”

Tony told him about their trip to the technology fair in Vancouver. “On our way back, we’ll have a look at that place. After that, we can start planning.”

“Just tell me when I have to be here again.” Rhodey muttered.

“No problem.” Tony promised.

They stayed silent for some time, when Rhodey suddenly looked at him questioningly. “Your trip with Pepper, it has a reason, doesn’t it?”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Can’t we just leave for a few days without anyone thinking that we have a secret plan?”

Rhodey grinned. “So you have a secret plan. And she doesn’t know about it yet?”

Tony held up his hands. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh come on, Tony. You can tell me. I’m your best friend.” Rhodey said and crossed his arms. “Or am I already replaced?” Tony knew that he meant Steve.

“Nope, you’re both my best friends.” Tony replied immediately, seeing no reason to lie.

“And Steve knows what you’re planning.” Rhodey concluded.

Tony sighed. “Alright, I’ll tell you. But if you mention it to anyone, you can forget being an Avenger. You can even forget seeing the next morning, because I’ll lock you into a room where no one will find you. And where you’ll never see the sun again. Understood?” His tone was serious now and the grin on Rhodey’s lips vanished.

“Alright, I promise. Now tell me what you plan!”

Tony smiled and began to tell him about his plan.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, actually I didn't plan to post so many chapters today! But once I started, I couldn't stop anymore. I hope you like them, please let me know! 
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

“So you really don’t want to tell me where we’re going?” Pepper asked for the third time in about twenty minutes.

Tony shook his head. “Nope, it’s a surprise.”

He knew that Pepper rolled her eyes, but he didn’t look at her. He concentrated on the road. They had left New York two hours ago, it was Friday morning. To Tony’s surprise, Pepper had taken the day off at work. She’d told him that there was nothing to do and secretly, he thought that she also couldn’t wait for their trip as well. They really needed to leave this tower.

Having the others around was not a bad thing. But sometimes, it could be exhausting with the Avengers and parts of SI in one building. And Rhodey had been there as well the previous days. He’d left this morning, said he needed to get back to LA. Of course, before he’d left, he’d made Tony promise that they would call him as soon as they’d began to plan the trip to Alaska. And of course he wanted to know how the weekend turned out.

Tony had found the perfect place for their trip. It was a house on a lake. He’d found it by accident when he was looking for the piece of land for the new Avengers facility. It had looked beautiful, even if it needed to be renovated. Tony had bought it immediately, knowing that Pepper would love it. And he liked it too. However, it hadn’t been easy to let it vanish in the documentations for SI. In the end, JARVIS had to hack some files and disguised it as an addition to the new facility. Luckily, Pepper didn’t notice.

The renovation had taken place in the past weeks and now everything was ready there. Tony hadn’t seen it yet, but he knew that it would be awesome. It was far away from other buildings, so no one would bother them. About ten minutes after they left the main road, they arrived at a gate.

Pepper looked at him questioningly and Tony grinned at her. “We’re there.” He announced. The gate opened and Tony was glad he’d chosen the automatic one. When the gate closed after them slowly, Tony continued to drive. The trees were shining in different colours, they would lose their leaves soon. Even though, it was a beautiful day.

“What’s all this?” Pepper asked curiously. When Tony glanced at her, he noticed that she was looking out of the window wide-eyed. She was smiling.

“It’s ours.” Tony said simply and grinned when the house came into view.

“You _bought_ all this?” Pepper asked slowly, but she didn’t sound angry. 

“Just for you and me.” Tony nodded. “Found it some time ago, it wasn’t in a good state. The renovation was finished a few weeks ago.” They stopped in front of the house and got out of the car. Tony watched Pepper carefully, hoping that she’d like it. Because honestly? He loved it. The wooden house wasn’t too big, nothing compared to the house in Malibu or the tower. With the lake in front of it and surrounded by trees, it looked peaceful.

“Do you like it?” Tony asked after a few moments. He couldn’t stand Pepper’s silence anymore.

Slowly, she turned around to look at him. She was smiling widely. “This is perfect, Tony.” She whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m glad you like it.” He whispered and kissed her.

“It’s so beautiful.” Pepper looked around again. “Why didn’t we buy this sooner?”

He chuckled. “No one will bother us here. Not many people know that this house exists. And even if they do, they won’t come through the gate.”

“So no one will bother us.” Pepper whispered and he nodded.

“The house is not connected to the internet yet. So our only connection to the world outside will be this.” He held up his phone. “And I’ll turn it off right now. Just emergency calls, JARVIS.”

“ _Of course, Sir._ ” JARVIS agreed immediately and the screen went black. 

He took Pepper’s hand and together, they entered the house. He’d already seen the plans a few times, so Tony knew where everything was. He showed Pepper around and couldn’t stop himself from smiling widely. This house was even better than expected. And Pepper smiled as well.

“I just don’t know what to say.” She muttered and shook her head. They’d just finished their tour around the house. “Tony...”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Pepper.” He whispered and before she could say anything else, he kissed her. “Let’s forget the world for a few days, alright? Just you and me.”

She nodded. “That sounds good.”

He took her hand and they went inside again.

* * *

“It’s very beautiful here, Tony.” Pepper said and smiled at him. They’d spent the day inside of their new house and in the evening, they decided to sit down outside. When she thought of their time inside, Pepper blushed and turned her face away from Tony quickly. It still surprised her that he could make her blush like a teenager sometimes. That had never happened, at least not before she met Tony Stark. Who’d been her boss, which had made everything even worse. 

It was cold, but luckily Tony had taken a few blankets and now they were wrapped in them together. Tony had his arms wrapped around Pepper’s shoulders and she leaned against him. It was strange, being with him like this. When no one bothered them and everything was peaceful. Normally, there was always something going on in their lives. One disadvantage of being with Iron Man. But Pepper would never want to miss it, the time together made up for all the chaos.

“Yes, it is.” Tony muttered thoughtfully. When Pepper turned to him again, she noticed that he was still looking at the lake. There was a smile on his lips, but a slight frown on his face. Pepper would have loved to know what he was thinking.

Sometimes, she just knew what was going on in his mind. It was easy to look through the mask of Tony Stark, the self-obsessed billionaire. He wasn’t like that at all, even if he said that not all of it was a mask. Well, alright, he  _was_ egocentric sometimes and also careless, but as soon as something important happened or problems were ahead, he was the most selfless person Pepper knew.

Nevertheless, there were also times when she couldn’t see through him at all. Just like now, when he was silent and thoughtful. Or even sometimes when he was happy, then he tended to surprise her. It’s always been like that, but Pepper loved that about him. Sometimes, she even thought that him playing Tony fuckin’ Stark, as the other Avengers called it, was cute.

“What are you thinking?” Pepper asked quietly. She couldn’t stand the silence between them anymore, knowing that Tony was thinking about something important.

“Nothing.” Tony still wasn’t looking at her.

“Yes, you are thinking of something. And since you won’t tell me what it is, I assume that it’s important.” Pepper said simply. “Otherwise, you would tell me.”

Now he turned to her, his eyebrows raised. “I tell you everything.” He said immediately. “Well, except I promised not to tell you, like the thing with Steve and Bucky. But that was completely different. Normally, you’re the first to know what’s going on.”

Now Pepper looked at him questioningly. “But there  _is_ something you’re not telling me.” She repeated slowly. 

He ran a hand through his hair and smiled slightly. Pepper loved that smile, it made him look very handsome. And younger, the constant worry in the past years had left its mark on Tony’s face. And of course the pain the arc reactor had caused him, even if they never spoke of that. 

“Alright, you caught me.” Tony admitted. “I tried to imagine what it would be like to live here. Like, not just coming here for a few days, but staying here all the time.”

His words took Pepper by surprise. “But you love New York. And Malibu even more.”

Tony nodded. “That’s true.” He muttered. “But there will also be a time when Iron Man won’t be needed anymore, right? And you can’t stay CEO of SI for all your life, Pep. Wouldn’t it be nice to live somewhere else then, and not in the big cities where everyone knows you?”

Pepper thought about this for a few seconds, before she nodded. He couldn’t mean that, could he? That he wanted to stay here with her someday, where no one would bother them anymore? And did he just say that he might leave Iron Man behind someday?

“A normal life?” She asked slowly, waiting for his reaction.

He laughed. “You know that it’ll never be normal with me.”

She smiled. “You’re right, so not normal. Should I say more peaceful?”

He smiled widely. “We could try that someday.”

“Sounds tempting.” She leaned in and kissed him. “And until then, we could come here regularly?” She loved being alone with Tony and having him all for herself. Maybe it was selfish, but she didn’t care. They’d spent so much time apart and worrying about each other. That had to end, Pepper hated it. But she knew that this hope wouldn’t come true for many years. And probably never, if something happened to Tony on one of their missions…

“Of course we can. Making a habit of coming here sounds great. Maybe once a month, or every few months. There are many things that could prevent us from doing so, but we should find the time –“ Tony stopped when he noticed the concern on her face. “Pepper? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “It’s nothing, I was just thinking. About the future.” She added the last sentence when she saw that he didn’t believe her.

His expression softened. “It’ll be alright, I’m sure of that.” He muttered, but somehow, Pepper had the feeling that he wasn’t completely convinced himself.

“I hope so.” She said slowly.

They sat there for some time in silence. Pepper repeated the events of the previous weeks in her mind, all those times when she’d been worried for Tony. Didn’t he tell her once that he had a bad feeling about the future? Just like she did now… It was strange, that they both had a bad feeling. But why? Hydra was dangerous, that was true. But the Avengers could deal with them. Maria Hill wasn’t their problem anymore. She’d gotten the data she needed from Rhodey and now SHIELD would deal with her brother. And then there was Bucky. 

Pepper decided not to think of that anymore. Worrying wouldn’t do any good, it didn’t change anything. Tony had promised her to be careful and Pepper knew that Steve and the others were also with him on missions. So he wouldn’t have to deal with any of this alone.

“What are we going to do tomorrow?” She asked to lighten the mood.

Tony grinned at her. “I was told that there’s a very beautiful path across our whole property. And in the evening, we’ll have a picnic.”

“A picnic?” Pepper repeated sceptically. Tony Stark and having a picnic? She couldn’t imagine that.

Tony grinned. “You’ll see.”

* * *

Tony had been right, the walk around their property was beautiful. They didn’t hurry, so it took them nearly all day. Sometimes, they just stopped and sat down somewhere to talk. Pepper loved it and wished that every day could be like this. Tony was so carefree out here, without any problems ahead. They could just forget the world.

They talked about everything and nothing at once. Sometimes, Pepper told him a few things he’d missed when they were apart, even though not much had happened back then. Or they talked about their friends, for example the relationship between Bruce and Natasha. They both thought that they’d be awesome together.

Tony told her about something that excited him very much. Apparently, he’d seen a man who jumped from skyscrapers some time agon. Well, rather a boy, according to Tony’s researches. “His name’s Peter Parker.” Tony said, sounding excited. “And it’s impressing what he can do. Even if he doesn’t seem to be used to it.” He told her everything he’d found out about the kid. And he wanted to visit him someday, offering his help. Probably even coaching him. It confused Pepper that he was so fascinated by the kid, but soon she understood why.

He wanted to help him. It was as simple as that. Back when Tony had decided to be Iron Man, no one had been around to help him. And his mentor had betrayed him. He wanted to make up for all the mistakes he’d made in his past. When Pepper mentioned her thoughts to him, he just chuckled, but didn’t say anything. So she was right about this.

In the evening, they really had a picnic. Right on the lake, with view on the sunset. It was beautiful, with candles and everything. Tony had even managed to get roses for her, even if she didn’t notice them before.

Nevertheless, something was different this evening. In the past two days, Tony had been so relaxed. Pepper hadn’t seen him this happy in some time. And now he seemed to be tensed. It took her some time to figure out that he was nervous.

When they finished their meal, they sat there and watched the sunset, wrapped in each other’s arms. Until Tony suddenly turned to her and smiled shyly. “Today’s been perfect, Pep.” He whispered and she smiled at him.

“It was a beautiful day.” She agreed. “I wish every day could be like this.”

He nodded. “That would be great.” Suddenly, he smiled widely and took her hands. The tension from before seemed to be gone.

“Pepper.” Tony began slowly and continued when she smiled back at him. “I love you. More than anything and I hope you know that. We’ve known each other for so long until I finally realized my feelings for you. And even longer until I acted on them. Because honestly? Why would someone as perfect as you like someone like me. An asshole, if I summarize what I’ve been back then. You made me realize lots of things in the past years. Most importantly, that I’m not alone. And that there’s always something worth living and fighting for. That there’s someone I can return to, no matter what happens. It still surprises me that you’ve chosen me too and I’m the happiest man in the world because of this. When you’re with me, everything seems so easy. Then, I feel like I can solve all the problems in the world. And we can do that, together. You’ve made me a better man, Pepper. You’ve shown me a completely new side of the world since I met you. And I would never want to miss that again. You’re my heart, and my soul, Pepper Potts. I’d do anything for you and I want to stay with you for the rest of my life.” Tony took a deep breath and suddenly, Pepper noticed a small box in his hands. “Will you marry me, Pepper?”

Soon after he’d started his speech, Pepper had held her breath. And probably her heart wasn’t beating anymore, she couldn’t say. Her eyes filled with tears before she realized what was happening and she wrapped her arms around Tony. He made a surprised noise, but then he held her tightly. Pepper kissed him, everywhere she could reach. In the end, she caught his lips and he kissed her back immediately. “So this is a yes?” He asked breathlessly, now she could hear that he was nervous. How could he think that she’d say no?

She wiped away the tears and smiled at him widely. “Yes, I will marry you, Tony Stark.” She whispered and now she could see that his eyes were filled with tears as well.

When she looked at the ring, her heart began to race. It was made of gold, and there were two stones, forming a heart. One was red, the other one blue. It fit on her finger perfectly and Pepper smiled at Tony. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

He kissed her again. “I love you so much, Pepper.”

“I love you too. Always.”

* * *

They didn’t get much sleep that night. They were too consumed in each other. Tony told her that he loved her many times and Pepper noticed that he liked to call her Mrs-soon-to-be-Stark very much. And honestly, she loved it. She couldn’t wait to marry him.

It was about five in the morning when a sound woke them up. They’d just slept about two hours and it took Pepper a few seconds to realize that the sound was Tony’s phone. He, on the other hand, was awake immediately.

“JARVIS, what’s up?” He asked, already standing up. Pepper tried to reach for him and he stopped, smiling at her sadly.

“ _Captain Rogers is calling, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed them. “ _It is urgent._ ” 

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, let’s hear what he wants.”

“ _Tony?_ ” Steve’s voice sounded through the speakers. “ _I’m so sorry that I have to wake you and interrupt your weekend, but Sam called. They found Bucky._ ” 

At those words, Tony tensed and jumped out of bed. “Where are they?” While Steve named him coordinates and said that he was already in the jet, on his way, Tony nodded. “I’ll catch you somewhere.” He said simply and Pepper wondered how he wanted to do that.

Then the realization dawned to her that he had the new suit with him, the one that was in the reactor. She felt stupid for not thinking of this before. Of course he had to be prepared for possible emergencies.

“ _Sam’s still watching them, they’re not doing anything yet. When they don’t control him, Bucky’s dangerous for them as well._ ” 

“Good, gives us a chance. But I bet Hydra will have reinforcements there soon.” Tony muttered while he was getting dressed. Pepper watched him wide-eyed, her heart was racing. Why had this to happen now?

“ _You can count on it. But we can deal with them._ ” Steve sounded like Captain America now, not like the sweet and gentle man Pepper knew. 

“Won’t be a problem. I’ll be on my way soon, see you in about thirty minutes, Cap. JARVIS’ tracking you, so it won’t be a problem to find you.” Tony ended the call and Pepper noticed that the reactor was on his chest now.

She stood up slowly, not caring that Tony was completely dressed while she was still naked. She wrapped the blanket around herself. “I’m so incredibly sorry, Pepper.” Tony whispered when he wrapped his arms around her.

“I understand that you have to go, it’s important.” Pepper whispered, knowing that it was not completely true. _Why can’t you stay? Just this one night?_ She wanted to ask, but she knew that it wasn’t possible. “Just be careful?” 

“I always am.” Tony whispered and kissed her. “Will you go back to New York?”

She nodded. “We wanted to go back today anyway.”

Tony nodded. “I’ll inform Happy that you’re coming back earlier.”

“I can do that myself.” Pepper muttered, but he ignored her comment and kissed her again.

“I love you, Pep. And we’ll be back soon, hopefully with Bucky.” She could see the concern in his eyes. He wasn’t as convinced as he pretended to be.

“I love you too.” She whispered and kissed him again.

After the suit vanished between the trees, Pepper still looked at the sky for a long time.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“They’re in there.” Sam muttered and pointed at the gate in front of them. Tony and Steve had arrived twenty minutes ago at the coordinates Sam had given them. Now they were watching the entrance to a cave in the middle of nowhere. It was cold and Tony was glad that his suit had a heater. Steve, on the other hand, was freezing. And so was Sam, he was wearing his Falcon suit now.

They were hiding behind a few trees (there were enough of them in this forest) and watched the entrance. Sam said the Hydra agents had vanished in there an hour ago. Until now, no one had come out again. The two Hydra agents Sam had been following had called reinforcements, but they didn’t arrive yet. So it were just those two agents. And Bucky, of course. Though it was difficult on whose side he was at the moment. Probably on his own side.

Tony, Steve, and Sam were three. If the reinforcements didn’t arrive in time, it wouldn’t be difficult to deal with the Hydra agents. With Bucky, Tony wasn’t so sure. And the others seemed to feel the same. Tony could tell that Steve was nervous from the look on his face, and Sam was tensed.

“Do we go in?” Sam asked quietly. “We can’t wait here forever.”

“JARVIS’ still scanning the entrance for activity.” Tony explained. “Seems like someone’s coming.”

“Hydra?” Steve muttered. “Or Bucky?”

“We’ll see. There he comes.” Tony whispered and they all watched the entrance quietly.

It wasn’t Bucky. It was one of the Hydra agents. He was carrying a small red book in his hands and searched for his phone. When he found it, he started a call. “Yes, we’re there. It was like we expected. He went to the base where they kept him first.” The man listened for a few moments. “Looking for information? We’re not sure. We went inside but didn’t go far yet. It’s too dangerous when he’s there, and we’re just two people. Reinforcements will arrive in one hour.” He listened again. “I know that it’s too long! What do you want us to do? Go in there and get ourselves killed? I know that we need him! We’ve got the book and we know what to do, but for that he needs to listen to us. And I bet he knows that it’s dangerous for him to listen to people like us.” There was another pause. “Alright. We’ll try it. You’re sure that the transmitter works in there?”

With one last nod, the man ended the call and went back inside the cave.

Tony, Steve and Sam exchanged looks. “Now or never.” Steve muttered. “We have one hour.”

He already wanted to run to the cave, but Tony caught his arm. “Wait a sec.” He muttered and looked at JARVIS’ scans once more.

“Why? This is our chance!” Sam exclaimed, but Steve just shook his head.

“What’s going on?” He asked calmly.

“The transmitter he mentioned.” Tony explained. “Complete immobility if it works in there. And I bet it will.”

“He’ll have no other choice than to listen to them, if he can’t defend himself.” Steve muttered in horror. Then he turned serious again. “How will it affect us?”

“The same.” Tony muttered. “But JARVIS might be able to help. You have your coms?” Steve nodded slowly, and Tony looked at Sam questioningly. He nodded too.

“Alright, this might be unpleasant.” When he finished that sentence, a shrieking sound appeared in their ears. It was not as unpleasant as Tony feared, but it bothered him either way.

“What’s this?” Sam groaned and touched his ears carefully.

“Neutralizes the other tone.” Tony explained shortly, and Steve grinned.

“Brilliant.”

Tony shrugged. “Let’s hope it works.” He gestured for Steve to lead the way. “You go first, Cap. I’ll have your back.”

Then they went inside the cave.

* * *

They followed a long dark hallway that led to a pair of stairs. Steve was moving slowly and stopped often to listen for noises. They didn’t hear anything. Tony was the last one to arrive at the stairs and when he looked down, he couldn’t see anything except darkness.

“Should I risk some light?” He asked quietly, knowing that the others couldn’t see as good as he could in his suit.

“Would be great, I don’t want to die here because I break my neck falling down some stairs.” Sam muttered.

Steve nodded hesitantly. “Then you go first.” He decided.

At the end of the stairs, two different hallways continued in opposite directions. JARVIS scanned both of them for thermal signatures. “The right one.” Tony muttered and let Steve take the lead again. In the distance, they could see light. Steve took the shield from his back soundlessly.

They didn’t have to walk long until they heard noises. Steve stopped immediately and held up his hand. They listened in silence for a few moments, but the source of the noise still seemed to be far away.

Tony couldn’t understand anything, and JARVIS also couldn’t help him. He wanted to move on but waited for Steve’s decision. However, the decision was made in the moment they heard someone scream.

“Bucky.” Steve muttered and then he began to run. Tony and Sam followed him immediately. They ran through corridors and open doors, always following the noises. The screaming had stopped some time ago, but now someone was talking very loudly. Tony couldn’t understand what was being said, but he knew that it wasn’t English.

That’s when he heard something else. “JARVIS.” He said attentively, but apparently JARVIS had already detected the noise. The shrieking tone in their ears made Steve and Sam stumble in surprise. “It’s alright, just a security measure.” Tony muttered and took the lead. JARVIS was scanning their surroundings now.

“This tone. The screaming. They’ve got Bucky.” Steve muttered, his voice horrified.

“We don’t know that.” Sam argued immediately. “And nothing’s decided yet.”

Tony hoped that he was right but didn’t say anything. He stopped at a corner and moved forward more slowly. The scene in front of him confirmed his fears. Tony suspected that the transmitter was still causing the noise, even if he couldn’t hear it anymore. Bucky was kneeling on the flow, fists clenched at his sides. One of the Hydra agents was pointing at him with his gun, while the other one was reading from a small red book. Tony couldn’t understand what he said, but he didn’t need to. They were turning Bucky into the Winter Soldier again, they had read enough about that in the old files. 

He glanced over his shoulder to see Steve and Sam looking at him with tensed expressions on their faces. “We’re too late.” Tony informed them. “Expect a fight. And don’t try to appeal to his senses, I don’t think that he’ll hear you now.” The last sentence was directed at Steve, who nodded reluctantly.

“What are we going to do now? Just go in there and attack them?” Sam asked and Tony looked at Steve again.

Steve swallowed, before his expression turned calm again. “It’s our only choice.”

Head held high, shield in his hands, Captain America marched into the room.

Followed by Iron Man and the Falcon.

* * *

“Hey Pepper, you’re early.” Natasha greeted her. Pepper had just arrived back at the tower, Happy had been waiting for her at the garage. He was carrying her things upstairs (she insisted to do it herself, but he didn’t listen to her) and she went to the kitchen. Slowly, she was getting hungry. After Tony left, Pepper had packed her things and left the house. It was beautiful, but without Tony it wasn’t the same. She didn’t want to have breakfast there, her appetite had left her.

She forced a smile on her lips, even if it wasn’t easy. She was worried for Tony, Steve and Sam (even if she didn’t really know him). “Yes, something unexpected happened.” She said shortly and grabbed an apple from the counter. Then she sat down next to Nat.

“You mean that they found Bucky.” Natasha stated simply. “Steve left last night, we found a note this morning. We knew that he’d inform Tony, after all, they wanted to deal with this together.” She smiled slightly. “I’m sorry that your trip ended this way. I hope you had fun either way.”

When she thought of the weekend again, Pepper had to smile. “It was perfect.” She said quietly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Natasha asked hesitantly, knowing that Pepper wasn’t really in the mood. “He never told us where he wanted to take you.”

“He bought a house.” Pepper noticed the happy tone in her voice herself.

Nat chuckled. “Sounds like Tony. Tell me about it.”

And Pepper did. She told Natasha about the big, wooden house and the lake. She told her that they walked around the property and that it was really beautiful. When she came to their picnic the previous evening, Natasha suddenly grabbed her hand and turned it around so she could see the ring.

“It’s beautiful.” Natasha whispered and then she hugged pepper tightly. “Congratulations, Pepper! You really deserve to be happy.”

“And it was about time Tony proposed.” Another voice behind them said loudly. Pepper looked over her shoulder to see Clint and Bruce walking towards them. They were both smiling. “Congratulations, Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark.” Clint grinned when he sat down next to Nat.

Bruce hugged Pepper and smiled shyly. “I knew that he was planning something, but this is unexpected.” He explained and Pepper smiled at him.

However, there was the dull feeling in her stomach again, ever since Clint called her Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark. Just like Tony did last night. And with that, all the worry came back. She knew that they would be fine, after all they were three and Bucky was alone. But Hydra was also there, and Bucky was dangerous…

“You don’t have to worry. He’ll come back to you.” Bruce said quietly and Pepper looked at him surprised. Bruce smiled slightly. “You look concerned.” He answered her unspoken question.

For a few seconds, Pepper considered lying, but she knew that it was pointless. They all looked at her like they knew exactly how she was feeling. Which they probably did.

“It’s not always easy.” She said slowly. “That he always risks his life. I know that it’s what he does and that he loves it. I could never take that from him again. Nevertheless –“

“Worrying is natural, Pepper.” Bruce interrupted her softly. “We all do that sometimes.” Did she just imagine it, or did his eyes wander to Nat for half a second?

She sighed. “I know.” She didn’t know what else to say, so she stayed silent.

“We would have accompanied them, but Steve just vanished last night without telling us about it.” Clint explained.

“And we don’t blame him for that.” Natasha added with a glance at Clint. “This is Steve’s business, not ours.”

“But we are his friends and we want to help him.” Clint argued and Pepper realized that they had this discussion before.

“And Steve made the decision to go after Bucky without us.” Nat emphasized.

“Tony’s with him. And that other guy –“

“Sam.”

“Yes, Sam. And they can help him, but we can’t.”

Natasha sighed. “I already told you that it’s not that easy. And going after Bucky with an army wouldn’t help at all. It’s not even said that he recognizes Steve. Last time, he didn’t. And I’m sure he doesn’t want to scare him.”

Clint groaned and didn’t reply something.

Pepper exchanged a look with Bruce, who just shrugged silently. The door of the elevator opened and Pepper turned around to see Happy walking in. “Your things are upstairs, Mrs. Potts.” Happy explained. “Is there something else you need?”

She shook her head. “Everything’s fine, Happy. I think I’ll just go upstairs to get some sleep.”

Happy nodded, but he didn’t leave again. There was indecision on his face and Pepper raised her eyebrows. “What is it, Happy?”

“Well, when we went upstairs, I couldn’t help noticing the ring on your finger. And I wanted to gratulate you.” He said it hesitantly and Pepper had to smile.

“Thank you, Happy.”

“You two deserve to be happy together.” Happy said and walked back to the elevator slowly. Apparently, he was feeling really uncomfortable now. Happy used the moment Thor walked in to leave quickly, and Pepper also excused herself.

* * *

Of course everything went wrong. As soon as Steve entered the room, Bucky and the Hydra agents attacked them. The Hydra agents wanted to escape and Sam followed them immediately. Which left Steve and Tony alone with Bucky.

Steve had been right, the Winter Soldier was a very skilled fighter. He could deal with the two of them easily, and that rarely happened. Probably, it was also because of the small rooms and hallways. Tony’s suit wasn’t of much use there, the risk that he blew up the whole place was too high. There were pipes on the ceiling, filled with different liquids. Tony wondered why they needed something here, but he didn’t have the time to look around more closely.

When Bucky realized that he couldn’t defeat the two of them, he started to move to the exit, following Sam and the Hydra agents. He was fast and seemed to know that place by heart, he was able to shake off Tony and Steve easily. Without JARVIS’ help, they would have never found the secret passageways that Bucky used. When they finally left the underground building, Tony could finally fly again. From the air, it was easy to spot Bucky. He was running towards the bikes of the Hydra agents. Apparently, he wanted to escape. Tony told Steve where Bucky was going, and his friend followed him immediately, throwing his shield to slow Bucky down. 

Tony noticed movement not too far away and realized that it were Sam and the two Hydra agents. But they weren’t just two anymore. “I could need help here.” Sam’s voice sounded through the comms and with one glance at Steve and Bucky, Tony went to help Sam. Instead of two Hydra agents, Sam was now fighting against ten men.

Four of them were already lying on the ground, but the others were trying to take Sam down. One of his wings was broken and Tony doubted that he could still fly. However, together it wasn’t difficult to defeat the Hydra agents. They didn’t have a chance against them. “Bind them.” Tony told Sam and went looking for Steve and Bucky again.

He found them not far away, the shield was in Bucky’s hands now. He was trying to hit Steve with it, who dodged away quickly. However, it was clear that he was slowly getting tired.

Tony was able to hit Bucky from behind and the shield fell to the ground. Steve got hold of it immediately, but Bucky had already turned to Tony and was trying to get to him now. Tony didn’t want to shoot Bucky, knowing that Steve didn’t want that. Instead, he was aiming at the mechanic arm.

Together, Tony and Steve were able to force Bucky to the ground. But before they could do anything else, they heard Sam’s voice. “They get more help!” Sam shouted while he ran towards them. “At least five cars, heavily armed!”

Tony sighed. “And I hoped that those eight guys have already been the reinforcement.” He muttered. Bucky had used that moment of distraction to fight them again.

“We have to leave, we can’t win a fight against all of them!” Sam called and Tony nodded. “Get the jet, I’ll deal with them!”

He didn’t see Sam running away quickly. Tony focused on Bucky and Steve again. When he saw Bucky’s hands on Steve’s throat, the shield lying on the ground next to them, Tony lost it. Without thinking any longer, he took the shield from the ground and hit Bucky on the head with it. Hard.

Tony helped Steve to his feet again and handed him the shield. Steve was gasping and paled when he saw Bucky lying on the ground. “Is he…?”

“Just unconscious.” Tony answered his question quickly. “It was the only way to get him away from you.”

Steve nodded slowly. “Thank you, Tony.”

Tony grinned, even if Steve couldn’t see it. “No problem.” He turned around when the sound of cars came closer. “However, that looks like a problem.”

“Where’s Sam?” Steve asked, voice alarmed.

“Getting the jet.” Tony muttered and turned around to face the Hydra agents. Next to him, Steve raised his shield.

When the first cars stopped in front of them, Tony and Steve exchanged a look. They would be able to take those men down, but there would be many injured people. Tony knew that Steve didn’t like hurting innocents. However, this was Hydra. And they weren’t innocent at all, so probably his friend would make an exception here.

“Come on, Sam.” Tony muttered when he got everything ready to fight again.

They stayed like this for a few moments, Tony and Steve standing next to each other, ready to fight, and the cars of Hydra, facing them. Both sides were waiting for the other to make the first move.

“Get down!” Sam’s voice sounded in Tony’s ears and he yanked Steve to the ground immediately. The explosion took place right in front of the cars. There was dust everywhere and some of the trees around them were falling to the ground, burning.

“To the jet!” Tony shouted and they both began to stumble in that direction.

“Where’s Bucky?” Steve asked loudly and Tony looked around as well. A short scan from JARVIS told him everything he needed to know.

“He’s gone, Steve.” He muttered.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

They spent most of the flight back to New York in silence.

Tony had activated the autopilot and the three of them were sitting in the back, all lost in their own thoughts. Steve was still pale and his throat was red where Bucky had grabbed him, but he’d ensured them that he’d be fine again soon. After all, he was healing fast. Sam looked unhappy, probably because he’d been following Bucky for so long and now he’d escaped either way.

To be honest, Tony wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole situation. He still regretted that he had to leave Pepper the previous night and the events didn’t help to cheer him up. Bucky escaped and it looked like Hydra had been able to turn him into the Winter Soldier again. Which meant that his next goal was the peace conference. And Steve looked unhappy since his best friend was lost to him again. 

Or maybe…

Tony had hit him hard with the shield. Could it be possible, that maybe he’d reversed the control of Hydra? He glanced at Steve and saw that he was looking at him with a frown on his face. Tony decided not to tell Steve about his thoughts, he didn’t want to give him false hope.

Tony raised his eyebrows. “You alright, Steve?” He asked, trying to sound lightly.

Steve looked at him silently a little longer before he sighed. “Just tired, I guess.” He muttered slowly.

“I still can’t believe that he escaped!” Sam’s loud voice made them both flinch. “I mean, we nearly had him! And just in that moment, those idiots from Hydra had to show up. We were so close! And now we have to start at the beginning.”

“Not completely.” Tony threw in. “After all, we know where Bucky will go.”

“The peace conference in Vienna.” Steve agreed. “We’ll be there before him. And then we’ll find him and stop his plans.”

Sam didn’t look convinced. “And how will we do that? Yes, we’re three and he’s alone. But you two nearly haven’t been able to take him down together. And I don’t think that I can make a difference in that fight.”

“Of course you can. But someone had to deal with the other Hydra agents.” Steve explained. “And we’re not just three.” He glanced at Tony and smiled slightly.

Tony knew what he meant immediately and grinned. “The others will be eager to help. I bet they weren’t too happy when you left alone last night.”

Steve nodded. “They respected my decision, but I know that they wanted to help.”

“Next time, they can join us.” Tony agreed. “However, I don’t think that we should let out the Hulk on a piece conference in Vienna. Could make the wrong impression.”

Steve chuckled and his lips twitched. It was the first time he really smiled since their encounter with Bucky and Hydra. “Maybe you’re right. But Bruce can help either way. I bet there are cameras everywhere.”

“Most probably.” Tony ran a hand through his hair. “So it’s settled.” He turned to Sam and grinned. “You should be proud, Sam. You’re going to work with the Avengers.”

Sam chuckled. “I don’t think that there’s still anything that can surprise me.”

Tony exchanged a glance with Steve and he knew that they were both thinking of New York. “In your position, I wouldn’t say something like that.” He whispered and stood up slowly. A glance at the monitors told him that they’d arrive in New York in thirty minutes.

“How hard did you hit him?” Steve’s sudden question took Tony by surprise. He turned around and raised his eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

“When I was lying on the ground, you hit Bucky with the shield. I’ve been wondering how hard you hit him.” Steve explained. There was hope in his eyes and Tony knew exactly what he was thinking.

“As hard as I could.” He answered. “But Steve, I’m not sure if –“

“If it was enough.” Steve muttered quickly and nodded. “I know, but what if it worked?”

Sam looked back and forth between them. “You mean that you cleared his head?” He asked and Tony nodded. “Do you think that it can work?” Sam asked slowly, but Tony heard that he also wasn’t convinced.

Steve shrugged. “I don’t know. But he recognized me before. Maybe this was enough to get him back?”

“But right before that, Hydra turned him again.” Sam argued. “I mean, it would be great if it worked. But Steve, maybe you shouldn’t get your hopes up. Because when we’ll meet him again, and he tries to kill you, you must defend yourself. You can’t just assume that he knows you.”

“I know. But let me have this small hope, alright?” Steve asked, his voice pleading.

Tony exchanged a glance with Sam, but they both remained silent.

* * *

It was already dark when they arrived at the tower. Tony wondered if the others were still awake, but he got his answer as soon as they entered the living area.

Pepper and Natasha were sitting on the couch, while Bruce was reading a book in his favourite armchair. Clint was typing on his phone. The only one missing was Thor.

“Finally you’re back!” Natasha was the first one to notice them and stood up immediately. Her eyes narrowed when she got a closer look at them and Tony understood why. Steve still had the marks on his throat, which were rather purple than red by now, and Sam had a cut on his arm. Tony himself was covered in dust from the explosion, otherwise he was unharmed. “What happened?” Nat’s voice was concerned now, but Tony didn’t look at her anymore.

He locked eyes with Pepper, who stood up from the couch slowly. Her eyes were wide and Tony thought that he could see worry in them. Next to something else he recognized immediately. Relief.

He heard Sam telling their story behind his back, but he didn’t really listen. He crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arms around Pepper. Then he kissed her and hid his face on her neck. They stayed like this for a few moments before he let her go again.

He smiled slightly but didn’t say anything. It was obvious that Pepper was listening to Sam’s story now.

“So you lost him. And you have no idea if he’s still the Winter Soldier, or if he’s Bucky again.” Clint summarized when Sam finished his tale.

“That’s all.” Steve agreed, sounding tired.

“And what now?” Clint raised his eyebrows. “You can’t just give up.”

“He’s going to the peace conference.” Tony threw in. “So that’s where we’ll go too.”

“All of us.” Steve added and exchanged an amused look with Tony when the others just looked at them in surprise.

“So now it isn’t just the three of you anymore, huh?” Natasha asked slowly and Tony noticed the sharp tone in her voice. Apparently, she’d argued with Steve about this before.

“We need your help with this.” Steve admitted. “That means if you want to come with us. Bucky is dangerous.”

“And you really think that bothers us?” Clint asked and grinned. “I can’t wait to use my bow again. When is this conference?”

“In two months.” Steve explained and frowned. “However, I don’t know if we can get in. After all, it’s exclusive. And we weren’t invited.”

“Maybe I can help with that.” Tony offered immediately. “I’ve got an idea how to get us in.”

“Tony Stark on a peace conference?” Pepper asked sceptically. “I can’t wait to hear your idea.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “We don’t produce weapons anymore. And I really have a plan. Just trust me with this.”

“We do.” Steve offered his help, but Tony kept looking at Pepper.

Her expression softened. “I always do.”

He kissed her softly. “I love you. Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark.”

“Get a room!” Clint called loudly, which made the others laugh.

“Oh no, I didn’t gratulate you!” Steve muttered and smiled at Pepper apologetically. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to forget this.”

She smiled at him. “It’s alright, Steve. I know that it was a long day for you.” When she looked at Sam, her eyes narrowed. “For all of you.”

Sam smiled sheepishly. “I don’t think that we’ve been introduced properly, Mrs. Potts. I’m Sam, Sam Wilson.”

She smiled back. “It’s Pepper, please.”

“And now our lovebirds should really get a room.” Clint muttered again when Tony wrapped his arm around Pepper’s waist. Then he stood up. “If I think about it again, I’ll just go to bed now. It’s late and we’ve just been waiting to hear your story.”

They all said good night and an hour later, Tony was lying in bed with Pepper. She was already asleep, and he looked at her for some time before his eyes closed as well.

* * *

The next morning, Tony was in his lab again. This time, it wasn’t Steve who was there with him. On the chair next to him sat Pepper.

“You’ll just make a few calls and that will get you all to that peace conference?” She asked sceptically after he’d told her about his plan. “Do you really think that they want you there?”

Tony grinned. “Everyone wants me.” He said lightly and Pepper rolled her eyes.

“Don’t exaggerate.” She muttered. To his surprise, she took his hand and squeezed it. Then she leaned in slowly so that her lips nearly brushed his ear. “And I don’t like to share, Mr. Stark.” Her whisper made him shiver. “You should better remember that you belong to me.”

She leaned back slowly and her eyes were shining mischievously. Tony raised his eyebrows slowly. “And if I don’t?” He asked slowly, teasing.

“Then I will have to remind you of it.” Pepper replied with a smile. “This evening, after work, of course.”

Tony swallowed. Suddenly, his throat was feeling dry. “This evening, yes.” When Pepper noticed the raw tone of his voice, her smile grew even wider.

She stood up abruptly. “And now I have to work.” She announced and Tony groaned.

“You already have to leave?” He stood up as well and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close.

“Yes, and may I remind you that you have to make a few calls?” She kissed him and touched his cheek.

He kissed her back, but soon they were interrupted by JARVIS’ voice.

“ _Mrs. Potts, it seems like you have a visitor._ ” JARVIS announced. 

Tony could see the confusion in her eyes when she frowned. “But I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

“ _He says that he is an old friend of yours. His name is Gerald Fink._ ” 

Slowly, the confusion left Pepper’s eyes. Instead, they grew wide in surprise. “Gerald? But what’s he doing here? I thought he went to Europe ages ago! And how does he even know that I’m here?”

“ _He did not explain his reasons for the visit. Maybe you should talk to him yourself. He seemed eager to meet you._ ” 

Tony didn’t like this conversation at all. Especially not the happy look on Pepper’s face. She never mentioned this guy before.

“Who is he?” He asked, trying to sound curious.

She turned to him. “I haven’t seen him for years.” She explained. “We went to school together. And after that, we still saw each other, until he was transferred to Europe because of his work. He’s an engineer. I think he lives in Paris now.” She smiled. “I think you’ll like him.”

Tony nodded thoughtfully. “Will I?” He muttered and already knew that he didn’t like this man. Not when his sudden appearance after ages made her so happy.

Pepper frowned at him. “Tony, what’s wrong?”

At her voice, he realized that he’d been staring at her darkly. “Oh, it’s nothing.” He replied quickly. “I just thought you had to work?”

Slowly, the smile faded from her lips. “Yes, I do. But I can’t just let him stand outside, can I? At least, I have to ask him if he could come back this evening.”

This evening. An evening which should have been just for the two of them. Great. Tony made a mental note to tell JARVIS that he should throw every man who wanted to see Pepper out immediately.

Pepper seemed to notice his change of mood since she took his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll make it up to you later, I promise. But I haven’t seen him for a very long time and we were very close back then, so I would like to talk to him. You can join us.” She smiled. “After all, I have to introduce my fiancé.”

At her words, he relaxed slowly. Probably, he already knew that Pepper was with him. After all, they were always in the media together.

“Alright. I’ll meet him.” He decided. He really needed to have a look at this man.

Pepper grinned. “Then I’ll see you later.” She kissed him again. “And don’t stay in here for too long.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “I think Steve and Sam will join me soon. They’ll take care of me.”

“I bet they do.” Pepper laughed and then she left.

Tony looked at his phone for a few moments before he turned to his screens. “JARVIS, I want everything about this Gerald Fink.” What a stupid name.

Five minutes later, Tony knew that he had to keep an eye on this guy. Especially when he was around Pepper. After all, they’ve been together for some time. Not for too long, but nevertheless together. When they were still at school, but that didn’t change anything.

Tony sighed. “Keep an eye on them, JARVIS.”

“ _Of course, Sir. Right now, he left again. He promised Mrs. Potts to come back later._ ” JARVIS informed him. 

“I want to know when he’s back.”

“ _Yes, Sir._ ” 

Tony sat down on his chair slowly. A fucking day after he proposed to Pepper, her ex showed up here. What the hell was wrong with his life?

He knew that thinking about this wouldn’t do him any good. “JARVIS, call Everett Ross.” He said instead.


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“And you’re sure?” Steve asked and raised his eyebrows slowly.

“Yes, JARVIS can’t find a trace of Bucky anymore.” Tony replied. “But he’s on it, if any camera recognizes him, we’ll be informed immediately.”

“Come on, Steve. It worked before. I’m sure we can find him again before he tries to blow up that peace conference.” Sam tried to encourage him and smiled. However, Steve only sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“I hope you’re right.” He hesitated for a few seconds. “Maybe he’ll really remember everything.”

“We can’t know that.” Tony threw in.

“I know.” Steve groaned. “You said that before. Like ten times. And that only today.”

“I think we’re all frustrated because of our failure yesterday.” Sam said, again trying to calm Steve down. Tony admired how devoted Sam was to Steve if you could say it like that.

“Frustrated doesn’t fit.” Steve muttered darkly.

“Alright, stop this.” Tony said loudly and crossed his arms. “Yes, Bucky vanished again, and we couldn’t defeat all the Hydra troops.” He summarized the situation. “But we know Bucky’s next goal. And there’s a very small chance that he might remember you again, Steve. I think all in all it’s not too bad.”

“Hydra knows where he’ll go too.” Steve threw in quietly.

“Which is why JARVIS is also keeping an eye on them and their communication.” Tony explained.

“And we still have to find a way to get into that conference.” Sam added.

Tony grinned. “No, we don’t.”

Suddenly, they were both looking at him attentively. “You got us in?” Steve asked, now sounding curious. And excited.

He nodded. “I already told you that it’d be easy.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “What did you do? Did you bribe someone?”

At that question, Tony laughed. “Oh come on, I’m Tony Stark. I don’t have to use money to get in. I just called someone.”

Now Sam was looking sceptical, while Steve just grinned. “And who’s that?”

“His name’s Everett Ross.” Tony explained. “CIA.” He added when he saw that the others didn’t know him.

“How can he help us?” Steve asked, a frown on his face.

“Superheroes are his area of expertise.” Tony told them. “He just got into that subject recently, he’s working with Thaddeus Ross. They’re not related, by the way.”

“Alright.” Sam said slowly and frowned. “I still don’t get it.” He looked at Steve questioningly. “Do you understand how that guy can help us?”

Steve smiled slightly. “I bet Tony will explain everything soon.”

“For some time, the CIA’s been interested in Wakanda.” Tony said slowly. “They’re watching someone who’s dealing with Vibranium.”

When he mentioned Vibranium, Steve sat up straighter in his chair. “Vibranium and Wakanda.” He said immediately and Tony nodded.

“They think that he got it from Wakanda. I didn’t read all the files, so I only know the basics.” He shrugged. “The files were pretty long, they’ve been on it for a few years now.”

“What’s his name? The dealer?” Steve asked curiously.

“Ulysses Klaue.” Tony told them. “JARVIS’ doing research on him. Doesn’t seem to be a nice man.”

“How can he know about Vibranium?”

Tony shrugged again. “We’ll get to know that later. For now, it’s only important that Ross found a way to invite the Avengers to that conference. Because we’re an essential part of world peace.”

“I thought extraterrestrial activities doesn’t count on a conference like that?” Steve raised his eyebrows.

“Ross will find a way.” Tony said simply. “And we’re not just doing that.” He reminded them. “We’re also dealing with conflicts between people.”

Steve nodded slowly and grinned. “Brilliant. I assume you told him that the king of Wakanda might be in danger?”

“I hinted something like that but didn’t conform it. However, it was enough for him to get us in. I promised not to do any damage unless it’s inevitable, by the way.” He smiled slightly.

Steve chuckled. “I think we can handle that.”

Tony grinned at Sam. He’s talked about it with Steve and the others earlier, now he just had to ask Sam. “What do you think about it? Being an official part of the Avengers. Would you give it a try?”

Sam’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. I thought it was only for one mission.” He looked at Steve, but he only smiled at him.

“We’ve agreed that you’d be a good addition to our team, Sam.” Steve explained.

“You’re actually serious.” Sam muttered, disbelief in his voice.

Tony grinned. “So will you give it a try?”

Sam was still looking from Tony to Steve and back with wide eyes. “Of course!” He said finally and grinned. “I’d be crazy to say no to an offer like this.”

“Yes, that’s true.” Tony grinned and ignored Steve’s accusing gaze. “What? Being part of the Avengers is cool!”

“And we all know that it’s not about that.” Steve said sternly.

Tony rolled his eyes. “Yeah sure, Cap.” He muttered and turned to Sam. “You’ll have to get used to that, he’s always like this.”

Sam grinned. “Oh I already knew that. After all, I’ve already worked with him.”

Steve cleared his throat. “I’m still here, remember?”

Now Tony and Sam laughed.

They kept talking about the conference for a few more hours. Tony got them a list of everyone who’d be invited and they looked at the schedule. When they saw that king T’Chaka of Wakanda would be talking in front of everyone, they knew that Bucky would choose that moment to act.

“It would be perfect.” Tony said. “No one would expect an attack in a moment like this. And T’Chaka will be distracted. Otherwise, it would be difficult to get him. Most people from that country seem to be warriors.” When he saw Steve’s questioning look, he laughed. “You can’t really believe that a country with big occurrences of Vibranium is a state of farmers. They want everyone to believe that. But I found a few files that tell us otherwise. Some even speak about a legend, the Black Panther, the protector of Wakanda.”

“Why doesn’t this surprise me anymore?” Sam asked quietly.

“I would like to hear more about this.” Steve told Tony and smiled. “Sounds like an interesting country.”

“It is.” Tony agreed. “But you’ll have to wait for more, it’s not easy to get into their system without being noticed. They seem to be experts in technology as well.”

Sam groaned. “A country that’s able to fool the entire world? Why do I think that I don’t want to meet those people?”

“And why didn’t someone else notice their doings before?” Steve added.

Tony shrugged. “I doubt that no one knows about the real Wakanda.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Probably, they just deal with everyone who finds out more.”

“Doesn’t sound good. You’re sure that they can’t trace you?” Sam asked.

Tony nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m careful.”

“ _Sir, Mrs. Potts just finished work and will meet with Mr. Fink soon._ ” JARVIS interrupted them. 

Tony hoped that the others didn’t notice that he tensed at JARVIS’ words. However, the look on Steve’s face told him otherwise.

He smiled at them. “Seems like I’ve got to go.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe we’ll know more about Wakanda and the Vibranium tomorrow.”

Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and left the lab. Steve and Sam followed him. They were talking about going to the gym, but Tony didn’t really listen to their conversation. He was already thinking of Pepper and her old friend from school.

* * *

He found Pepper and Gerald Fink in their personal living quarters. She was sitting on the couch, while he occupied Tony’s favourite armchair. When he saw them there together, Tony was glad that he’d changed his clothes before coming upstairs.

Gerald was wearing a dark grey suit with a green shirt and a fitting tie. And Pepper wore her favourite dark red dress. Tony noticed that his red shirt was fitting her dress with satisfaction. To that, he was wearing a dark jeans. He thought a suit would be too much for an occasion like this. Seemed like not everyone saw it like that.

When he left the elevator, they both looked up at him. Pepper smiled widely, while Tony couldn’t quite interpret the look on Finks face. He was smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes. And there was something else, maybe calculation?

“There you are!” Pepper said and stood up. “Did everything go alright today?” Somehow, it made Tony very glad that she asked about his day even if she had a guest.

Tony wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “Everything’s fine.” He said and grinned. “We’ve got an invitation to a very important meeting.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows and he could see the curiosity in her eyes. So she didn’t expect him to get the Avengers into that conference that fast. “You have to tell me more about that later.” She said and he winked at her.

“Of course.” When Pepper turned to Gerald, Tony followed her gaze. He was looking at them silently. “Tony, this is Gerald. An old friend of mine.” Pepper said now and Gerald stood up slowly. Tony noticed that he was taller than himself. Probably even taller than Steve and Thor. And very skinny. When he smiled at Tony widely, he couldn’t stop himself from comparing this to a snake. Or a shark when he looked at his teeth more closely.

“It’s an honour to meet you, Mr. Stark.” Gerald said and held out his hand for Tony to shake it. “I’ve heard so many things of you.”

Tony chuckled. “Hopefully only the good things. And it’s Tony.” He said when they shook hands.

“Is there something bad to say about Tony Stark?” Gerald asked and he fought back the urge to roll his eyes. Most people loved to say bad things about him.

“So Pepper told me you’re an engineer?” Tony asked when they sat down.

When Gerald smiled this time, it reached his eyes. “Yes, I’m working for a big international company. At the moment, we’re working in Paris.”

“He’s working together with architects.” Pepper added.

“That’s true.” Gerald nodded. “We’re working on a building, a tower, to be more exact. It will contain apartments and bureaus. I bet you would like it.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Just because I own a tower as well?” He asked and couldn’t hide his scepsis.

“It will be run with clean energy.” Gerald explained. “And since your company’s the first address for this, I thought it might interest you.”

The next thirty minutes, Tony and Pepper listened to Gerald’s stories about his work. The concept was neither new not very interesting. Tony got bored quickly, but he listened to the story either way. Next to him, Pepper was listening closely and even asked questions. He wasn’t sure if she was interested in Gerald in general or if this was for the company. After all, it was always good to know how others managed things like running a complete building with clean energy.

When Gerald finished his story, Tony doubted that it would really work, but he kept his mouth shut. Somehow, this guy wasn’t sympathetic. After all, he was mostly looking at Pepper and ignored Tony. It was obvious that Gerald wasn’t happy about this presence.

When they finally changed the subject, it didn’t get better. This time, they were talking about their days at school and Tony couldn’t take part in the conversation anymore. Pepper never told him much about her past, so the names of several classmates were unknown to him.

At some point, they came to a trip they’d done after school. From what Tony knew, this must have been a few weeks before they broke up. They’d been in LA together. Just the two of them, alone. “Do you remember that night on the beach?” Gerald asked with a slight smile and for half a second, Tony thought that he was looking at him provocatively.

Next to him, Pepper blushed. “It was just a picnic.” She said quickly and took a sip of her wine, probably to hide her embarrassment.

“If you say so…” Gerald said and Tony hated him even more in this moment.

First, he came to his tower to talk to his fiancé. Then he decided to ignore Tony for most of the conversation and now this! He breathed in deeply and tried not to say something wrong.

“When will you return to Europe?” He asked now and tried to sound curious. “When you’re working on such an important project, I doubt that you can leave for a long time. After all, they need you in Paris, right?”

Surprised by his sudden question, Gerald cleared this throat. “Yes, well, I have to leave in three days.” He said slowly. “I just heard that Pepper was in New York and since we didn’t see each other in such a long time, I thought that I’d come by to say hello. Talk about good old times, you know that stuff.”

“And it is very nice of you to think of me.” Pepper said now and smiled at him.

“Maybe we could meet again, since I’ll be here for two more days.” Gerald suggested.

Pepper hesitated only for a second, before she replied. “I have to work, but in the evenings, I’d be free.” She offered and looked at Tony. “Maybe we could show Gerald the city?” She turned to him again. “Or do you know New York already?”

Gerald didn’t look thrilled by a city trip with Pepper and Tony. Well, most probably with Tony. He knew that he’d accept gladly if Pepper would offer to come alone. “I’ve been here before. But maybe dinner would be nice?”

Pepper nodded, this time more slowly. “I’m sure we can find something we can do.”

“It must be exciting, living here with the Avengers.” Gerald said suddenly. He looked at Tony. “And being one of them, of course.”

Pepper chuckled. “You get used to that. And it can be exhausting sometimes.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “You mean exciting, my dear.” He corrected her firmly.

“No, the attention can get exhausting.” Pepper repeated.

“I can imagine.” Gerald said and glanced at Tony again. “Being CEO of Stark Industries alone seems to be a time-filling job to me.”

Pepper nodded. “There’s always something to do.” She agreed.

“And you’re leaving the company completely to Pepper?” He asked Tony now.

He nodded. “Pepper’s doing a very good job.” Tony smiled at her. “I couldn’t do it any better.”

Gerald looked thoughtful. “I bet you’re busy enough with being Iron Man?”

He smiled slightly. “That and I’m inventing new things for SI.”

“He built a new reactor that can get the energy out of the earth.” Pepper told Gerald and Tony could hear in her voice how proud she was. He smiled at her and took her hand.

Gerald raised his eyebrows. “Well, that sounds exciting. I’d love to hear more about this.”

“I’m sorry, but we didn’t publish it yet.” Tony shot back immediately. “So it’s secret, I’m sure you know what I mean.”

“Just like the Arc technique?” Gerald asked now. “Patented by Stark Industries and no one gets to know how it works. And I doubt that it will change any time soon.” He looked at Tony’s chest where the arc reactor had been for a long time.

“Everything can be dangerous if it’s used in the wrong way.” Tony replied simply.

“And who says that you’re using it right?” Gerald shot back immediately. “Everyone has a different definition of right and wrong.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Are you assuming that I’m misusing my technology?”

He held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “Of course not, I just wanted to show you that there are always two sides of the coin.”

Tony exchanged a look with Pepper. She was looking thoughtful now and then she frowned at Gerald. “Maybe we should talk again tomorrow? I can give you my number, then we can see if we meet again.”

“The city trip is still an option.” Tony added, even if he really didn’t want to see this man again. However, a tour through the city seemed miles better than Pepper having dinner with him.

“I’ll think about it.” Gerald replied and smiled again. He took Pepper’s hand and kissed it. “It was good to see you again, Pepper.” Then he smiled slightly at Tony. “And you too.”

When he left, Tony raised his eyebrows at Pepper. “What the hell was that?”


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next morning, Tony was feeling tired. After the evening with Pepper and Gerald, his mood hadn’t been too good. Before they went to bed, Tony and Pepper didn’t talk very much anymore. They both had been lost in their own thoughts.

Tony was still annoyed by Gerald’s behaviour. And he would have given everything to know what Pepper was thinking. However, he couldn’t figure it out. And the image of her face when Gerald talked about an evening on the beach years ago wouldn’t leave his mind. He could imagine what happened back then very well. And the thought alone made him sick.

He didn’t sleep that night. Next to him, Pepper was also turning in her sleep. Sometimes, she murmured words Tony couldn’t understand.

At about five in the morning, he couldn’t stand it anymore and left the bedroom, careful not to wake Pepper. He made his way downstairs. The others were also still asleep, so he went to the gym. Maybe he’d feel better after training.

To his surprise, he found Steve in the gym. He didn’t notice Tony yet and he watched him in silence for a few moments. “Couldn’t sleep?” He asked loudly to announce his presence and Steve flinched.

“Why are you up this early?” Steve asked and raised his eyebrows. “And no, bad dreams. You know that stuff.”

Tony nodded. Steve had told him about his nightmares concerning the ice and Bucky before. “Couldn’t sleep as well.” He said shortly and hoped that Steve wouldn’t ask questions. “Mind if I join you?”

Steve shook his head. “Would be good to have a partner. And we didn’t practice for some time by now.”

They spent the next hour practicing self-defence. Slowly, Tony was getting better at fighting without his suit. And Steve also told him that, which made him kind of proud. After all, Captain America was a master at fighting.

When they finally finished their training, it was seven o’clock. They decided to sit on the small balcony in front of the training centre for some time, and Tony enjoyed the time with Steve. He didn’t ask any questions yet and Tony was glad about it. However, he knew that Tony might need to talk either way.

“So one of Pepper’s old friends visited yesterday?” Steve asked hesitantly and Tony sighed.

“Yup. He’s living in Paris now.” He told Steve about the previous evening shortly.

“What a nice guy…” Steve muttered and shook his head. “But you shouldn’t worry. After all, Pepper loves you.”

Tony sighed. “When you say it like that, it sounds so easy.”

“Do you trust Pepper?” Steve’s sudden question made Tony raise his eyebrows.

“Of course I do.” He replied immediately. “But I don’t trust this man when he’s around her.”

“From what you’ve told me, you’ll be with them all the time at their next meeting.” Steve noted. “So you can watch him all the time.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Probably, you’re right. But I don’t like this either way.”

“No one likes something like that.” Steve muttered. “But it’ll be alright, I’m sure of that.”

Tony didn’t reply. He just watched the city in front of them in silence. He considered asking Steve about his dream, but he decided not to do it. Steve would tell him about it in time.

When they finally left the gym, the other Avengers were awake already. After a quick shower, Tony joined them at breakfast. Pepper was already gone with Happy, she had a meeting on the other side of the city at eight. In the bedroom, she’d left him a short note. Gerald wanted to meet them at seven in the afternoon in front of the tower. Then they wanted to make a tour through the city and in the end, they’d have dinner in a small restaurant. The note that Tony should be punctual was underlined two times. Tony sighed. Apparently, Gerald had called Pepper very early in the morning. Or did she call him? Honestly, he didn’t want to know.

At breakfast, he mostly listened to the conversations of the others without saying much himself. The others were talking to Sam most of the time. They asked questions about his past since he’d be part of the team from now on.

Luckily, Tony could leave the table early. A call from Rhodey saved him from questions about his bad mood this morning. When Rhodey announced that he’d be visiting soon, Tony had to smile. It was always good to have him there. And then, they could talk about the problem in Alaska again. They’d completely ignored that the previous days.

When Tony made his way to the lab, he noticed that JARVIS had decoded some files about Wakanda. However, he couldn’t get into their system. Apparently, someone skilled had invented it. Tony would have to look at it himself, but right now he didn’t feel like doing that. So he just read the files in silence.

It was interesting, finding out more about the Vibranium. He even got to know how his father got the material for Steve’s shield. And the legend of the Black Panther made him curious. He wondered if it was true, that the king of Wakanda was the Black Panther. Tony decided to find out more about it soon. Maybe when they’d meet king T’Chaka and his son T’Challa in Vienna.

He skipped through the files for some time, until JARVIS interrupted him. “ _Sir, something happened that might interest you._ ” 

Tony looked up from his screen. “What is it, J?” He asked slowly.

An image appeared in front of him and Tony held his breath. It was the young man he’d seen before, what was his name? Peter Parker. And from the looks of it, he was being chased. By a police car?

“What am I seeing there?” He frowned and scaled up the picture on the screen.

“ _Apparently, he tried to avoid a bank robbery. However, he was injured in the course of it and when the police arrived, the perpetrators already escaped. They thought he was guilty and started to chase him. Because of his injury, he nearly didn’t succeed at escaping._ ” JARVIS explained the situation. Without thinking about it, Tony jumped to his feet. 

“Where is he now? And did they stop chasing him?” He was already on his way to his suit, not looking at the clock. He had to help that kid.

“ _Someone at the police station looked at the camera records as well, so they know that he’s innocent. They stopped chasing him a few minutes ago._ ” 

Tony nodded. “Good. And what about my other question?”

“ _I’ve located him, Sir._ ” JARVIS announced. “ _He’s sitting on a rooftop close to the Empire State Building._ ” 

“Then let’s go.” Tony muttered.

* * *

When he arrived, the kid was still sitting on that rooftop and looked at the city. He didn’t notice Tony, so he stepped out of his suit silently and looked at Peter Parker more closely. He was really still very young. Probably too young to be a superhero. And there was much blood on his arm, ruining the ugly suit he was wearing. The mask was lying on the ground next to him. Also ugly, but good enough to hide his face.

The blood on his arm came from a bullet wound, as far as Tony could see it. It had already stopped bleeding.

There was a sad expression on Peter’s face and Tony wondered why. Because the criminals escaped? Or were there other reasons?

He stepped closer quietly, trying to figure out what he could say without scaring the kid to death. However, he couldn’t find the right words. So he just spoke without further thinking about it.

“Looks like you’ve had a bad day.” He said just loud enough for Peter Parker to hear him.

As expected, the kid flinched violently and if he wouldn’t have that good reflexes, he might have fallen from the roof. He turned around quickly, with a shocked expression on his face. It took him only a few seconds to realize who was standing there in front of him and his wide eyes flickered from Tony to his suit and back.

“What – You’re Tony Stark – I mean, how did you find me? Mr. Stark. It’s a pleasure to meet you. An honour, I mean. An honour to meet you. But how –“ He was stuttering hysterically and Tony held up his hand quickly to make him fall silent.

“Woa, slow down, kid.” He said loudly and took a step forward. “I’m not going to hurt you or something. Now breathe in deeply. And you might step away from that edge, otherwise you might fall from this rooftop.”

After a few seconds, Peter nodded slowly and stepped forward. Then he breathed in deeply, trying to calm down.

“To your first question, I’ve been watching you for some time now.” Tony explained and sat down on the ground. He gestured for Peter Parker to do the same. “I think your abilities are impressing. The things you do.” He copied the gesture Peter always made when he jumped from building to building and grinned.

The kid was still staring at him with wide eyes and his mouth open.

“How are you calling that? And yourself?” He pointed at the suit. “Spider-Kid or something like that?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Spiderman.” Peter whispered, still shocked that Tony Stark was sitting in front of him. On a rooftop, right after he’s been injured. And chased by the police.

“Spiderman.” Tony repeated slowly. “Sounds cool. What’s not cool is this suit. You need something better. And something that might protect you better.” He grimaced when he looked at Peter’s arm. “And someone might have a look at that.”

Finally, Peter seemed to come to his senses again. “I can’t just go to a hospital. My aunt will kill me!” He said loudly. “She can’t know what I’m doing!”

“So you also keep this secret.” Tony concluded.

“My best friend knows about it.” Peter argued. “His name’s Ned.”

Tony nodded. “Alright.”

“Can I ask you something, Mr. Stark?” Peter asked suddenly.

“Anything.” Tony said immediately.

“Why are you here?” He sounded curious and still shocked. “Well, except for the fact that you think I’m interesting or something like that. I mean, it doesn’t happen every day that Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, shows up.”

Tony chuckled at the look on Peter’s face. “That’s true. Let’s just say I noticed you were in trouble and wanted to help you. The police stopped chasing you, by the way. They saw the records. However, I still think that this Spider-Guy, like they call you, will be in the papers tomorrow.” He grinned.

“Spiderman.” Peter muttered darkly and again, Tony realized how young he was. Suddenly, his eyes gleamed. “Do you really think that I’ll be in the press?”

Tony nodded, still grinning. “Yeah, JARVIS hinted something like that on my way here.”

Peter grinned. “That’s so cool.” He whispered excitedly.

“You still need some training, though.” Tony replied. “The way you acted wasn’t very professional. Which doesn’t surprise me, since you’re still a kid without experience.”

The smile from Peter’s face vanished slowly. “You’re not going to tell my aunt May about this, will you?”

He shook his head. “Nope, I’ve got a better idea. I could help you. If you want it, of course.” He added hastily, not knowing if the kid would like his help.

Peter was still looking a little shocked. “Honestly? I still don’t know why you’re here.”

Tony shrugged. “Let’s just say that I appreciate young talents. Especially those who have as much potential as you.”

“This is crazy. Don’t get me wrong. Good kind of crazy. But either way… I don’t know what to say, Mr. Stark.”

“You just have to say yes. Or no, even if I think that’s unlikely. Not many people would say no to an offer like this. You could also say yes now and tell me to back off later. I wouldn’t mind that.” Why did he already like this kid? And did he really just offer him his help? Yes, in the past weeks, he’d thought of it a few times, but really doing this was something different. What would the others say?

“You want to help me. With my powers.” Peter repeated slowly and shook his head in disbelief. “I’m dead, right?”

“Not yet.” Tony replied immediately. “So what do you say?”

“Yes. I mean, I’d really appreciate your help, Mr. Stark. It would be an honour. After all, you’re famous. And you’ve been my idol for years.” He was grinning again and Tony smiled back at him.

He stood up and held out his hand to Peter. “Sounds like a deal. And now someone has to look at your arm.”

* * *

He took Peter to the tower since he refused to go to a hospital. Bruce didn’t ask any questions, he just looked at Peter’s arm and announced that it wasn’t a bad injury. He shouldn’t stress the arm too much in the next days and then everything would be fine again.

In the tower, Peter didn’t say very much. And when he did, he was stuttering incoherent words. Tony already feared that it was too much for the kid, but he was just excited. Very much. Somehow, Tony liked this character trait.

A short glance at the clock told him that they would meet Gerald in front of the tower in about five minutes. However, he couldn’t just let Peter walk home alone. On the other hand, he didn’t want Pepper to be alone with that guy.

When he looked at the tired kid in front of him again, who was still wearing his bloody suit, Tony made his choice. He let Pepper know that he would join them later, got Peter some clothes, and told Happy to get the car. Then he changed into a suit quickly.

In the car, Peter was still speechless. “And you’re coming with me?” He asked for the sixth time in a row.

Tony nodded. “I want to meet your aunt.” On their way to the tower, Peter had told him a few details about his life. Which didn’t seem to be too interesting. And hard when you counted how the kids at school dealt with him.

“But how on earth should I explain that Tony Stark is standing in front of her door?”

Tony grinned. “I’ve already figured something out. Which will also explain why you’re not at home sometimes.”

“And you’ll really help me to deal with my powers?” He sounded hopeful and Tony nodded.

“Of course. Spiderman has to be trained. And I think I’ll get you a new suit. You can’t wear yours anymore.” He already got a few ideas for the new one.

“And I’ll meet the Avengers?”

Another nod. “They’re living at the tower, so yes. And Steve wants to meet you too.”

“Captain America wants to meet _me_?!?” 

Tony chuckled. “Don’t act so surprised.” He couldn’t continue since Happy announced that they’d arrived.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Tony left the building again. After he’d told Peter’s aunt about the Stark internship. Which was a pretty good idea, he thought to himself. It would explain why Peter spent time at the Stark tower from now on. And it would give him an excuse to leave more often. However, Tony had made him promise to be more careful from now on.

JARVIS told Tony that Pepper and Gerald were already at a small restaurant close to the tower. When Tony noticed that it was their favourite, he had to breath in deeply. Why did she take him to their favourite restaurant?

When they got there, he hesitated. Should he really just go in like this? But why shouldn’t he? After all, Pepper had told him to come.

Before he reached the entrance, he looked in through one of the windows. And there he saw them. Pepper was wearing a dark red dress, while Gerald wore the same suit as the previous evening. They were standing in front of each other and it looked like they’d just arrived.

Suddenly, Gerald wrapped his arms around Pepper and she got hold of his shirt.

And then he kissed her.

And she didn’t push him away.

* * *

The afternoon with Gerald had been nice, but Pepper had been disappointed that Tony couldn’t join them. JARVIS had just said that there was an emergency, but not of what kind. The entire time, she’d hoped that Tony would join them at the restaurant. She’d chosen their favourite and hoped that he could forget his resentment towards Gerald for some time.

However, he didn’t show up in front of the restaurant. Inside, it was very crowded. One of the guests even had his dog along. Which made Pepper stumble when he jumped at her unexpectedly.

Luckily, Gerald caught her before she could fall. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she got hold of his shirt.

And then something Pepper never expected happened. He kissed her. In the middle of the restaurant, in front of everyone! First, she was too shocked to push him back and just froze in her position. However, she slapped him when he let go of her. “What was that?” She hissed and he just looked at her wide-eyed.

“Pepper, I’m sorry…” He started, but she didn’t listen to him anymore since something else caught her attention.

“Look, there’s Tony Stark! Right outside, and he’s looking inside!” One of the guests said loudly and soon, everyone was looking outside.

“No one’s there, darling.” A man said and chuckled. “You must have imagined it.”

“No, it’s true.” One of the waiters said. “He just left again.”

In this moment, Pepper felt like her whole world was breaking down.


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Later, Tony couldn’t tell anymore how he got away from the restaurant. Somehow, he’d managed to tell Happy that he should wait for Pepper. And then he walked away as fast as possible. In a small side street, he called his suit since he didn’t wear the one inside of the reactor. And then he searched for a place where no one would find him. At least he hoped so.

The tower wasn’t an option, there were too many people who knew him too well. If Steve saw him now, he would know immediately that something was wrong. And the last thing he needed was a long talk with him about the current situation.

Leaving the city also wasn’t an option. He’d run away from Pepper before and it had caused even more disaster. He would have to talk to her soon. However, he didn’t know what he should say. Or if there was anything he could say at all.

The only thing he knew at the moment was that he couldn’t face her right now.

A very small, quiet voice in his head told him not to draw any conclusions now, to let her explain first, but he ignored it.

When he looked at New York from above, he knew where he was heading to. And he forbid JARVIS to tell anyone where he was.

About two years ago, Tony had bought another building in the city. The tower had enough space, but he didn’t like too many people in his home when he was in NY. So part of SI was situated in another, much smaller tower. Also run by clean energy, of course.

The building had been in a bad state when he’d bought it and Pepper had been against it since the repairs would cost much money. However, he didn’t listen to her. He just needed that building. And he wanted his office, if he ever went there, to be on the top floor. With a look at the statue of liberty.

He had no intention to go into the building now. He landed on the rooftop, stepped out of his suit and sat down on the edge. It seemed unreal that he’d found Peter in this position on a different rooftop mere hours ago. It felt like a lifetime.

When he sat there and looked at the lights of the city, he tried not to think too much. A drink might help him to drown his thoughts. Tony wondered when had been the last time he’d been drunk. Honestly, he couldn’t even remember. Which was a big surprise, because a few years ago, he’d drank probably too much. At some point in the past years, he just stopped. And he didn’t want to start again, he decided when he thought of it a little longer. It wasn’t worth it. He liked being able to think at all times, to have all his senses.

Suddenly, the image of Pepper and Gerald appeared in his mind again. Her hands in his shirt, his arms wrapped around their waist. And they were kissing. The sick feeling in his stomach came back with full force and Tony found himself trembling. Luckily, he’d already sat down. Or would a drink be a good option now?

He'd known that this Gerald was nothing but trouble the moment he heard his name, however he would have never expected something like this. But didn’t he? After all, Pepper had been so excited when JARVIS had announced his arrival. And didn’t she listen to his stories with shining eyes?

And what the hell happened on the beach in LA? Pepper had blushed when he mentioned it and Tony already knew that it had been more than a picnic. But was that a surprise? After all, they’d been a couple back then. So he couldn’t blame Pepper for that. Nevertheless, he was angry at Gerald for mentioning it right in front of him. And he’d even smiled at him provocatively!

Maybe he’d already planned to get Pepper back before he’d arrived at the tower? He must have known that she was with Tony right away. It wasn’t a secret, after all… He seemed like someone who accepted a challenge gladly. The talks about his work had proven that.

Tony closed his eyes and listened to the sounds all around him. It had a calming effect on him, knowing that life was continuing, even if his world seemed to be falling apart once more.

What should he do now? Go back to the others and act as if everything was alright? Find Pepper and talk to her? Or just stay on the rooftop and try to forget everything?

Going back was a bad idea. And finding Pepper too since she was probably still with Gerald. And Tony couldn’t be sure that he might do something stupid when he saw that man right now. So he would stay on that rooftop for now.

Slowly, he was feeling cold in his suit, but he didn’t care. There was nothing that really mattered at the moment.

Pepper had kissed Gerald. In their favourite restaurant and when she knew that Tony was on his way. Again, the reality hit him with full force. Was it just yesterday morning that he’d felt like the luckiest man alive? He’d proposed to her a few days ago and now this happened! He closed his eyes and tried to remain calm, but this time it didn’t work.

He felt that his hands began to shake and his breathing fastened. And then the tears he tried to hold back came. He couldn’t say how long he just sat there, face covered with his hands, and cried. Honestly, he didn’t care at all. In this moment, he just couldn’t hold back anymore.

He remembered all the times he’d spent with Pepper. The awkwardness when she’d first become his assistant. Their arguments when he didn’t take care of the company, missed appointments and drank too much. The moment when he first realized that he wasn’t just attracted to her appearance, but to everything about her. The moment he realized that he loved her. There was a gap in between, filled with the time when he was trying to find himself. Trying to figure out who he really was. Tony Stark, dealing with weapons. Or maybe someone who wanted to do something good?  _I am Iron Man._

Everything that came after his decision. All the battles he’d fought. Most of them without her, but in some of them she had also been there. The time when he tried to stop being Iron Man and how that ended in disaster. The time apart from her. And their reunion. Everything that happened after that. The new house. His proposal.

He sighed when the memories wouldn’t stop. In the end, it was always the same. He loved her. More than anything. And honestly, he also needed her. In all the bad times in his life, she’d always kept him sane. She’d saved him in more than one way.

What should he do without her?

* * *

“Pepper?” A voice ripped her out of her frozen state. The voice she least wanted to hear. Suddenly, all the sounds surrounding her came back at once. She realized that she was still standing in the restaurant, looking at the door. Her right hand was burning from when she’d slapped Gerald. When she glanced at him, she saw that his cheek was red and Pepper felt a dark satisfaction.

All around them, people were still talking. She heard Tony’s name a few times and started to feel sick again. Her heart began to race and she felt like she could throw up.

He’d seen them. And since he left again, Pepper knew that he’d seen the kiss. The kiss which had lasted a few seconds, in which she didn’t push Gerald back.

“Pepper, I’m really sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Gerald said again and finally, Pepper turned to him. She was furious, but she breathed in deeply to stay calm. Until now, no one except for the waiter had noticed their argument. And he’d left quietly after he’d told her that Tony really had left.

“I’m sure you knew pretty well what you were doing.” She said slowly and took a step back. “I will leave now. And I don’t want to see you again, Gerald.” Her voice was cold, but she didn’t feel sorry when she saw the disappointed look on his face. “It has been a mistake to meet in the first place. I should apologize.”

She should have told Gerald to stay away the moment she’d seen the unhappy look on Tony’s face yesterday when JARVIS had announced his arrival. However, she’d been too excited to see someone from her past before her life turned upside down. And many years ago, Gerald had been important to her. Maybe she’d thought that they could be friends again? But at their departure, he’d made it very clear that friends wasn’t an option. Apparently, that didn’t change. 

Pepper didn’t wait for Gerald’s answer. She took her bag and turned around to leave. Luckily, no one recognized her in the crowded place, even if some people were still talking about Tony.

Outside, she was surprised to see Happy leaning on a car and watching the restaurant. He waved when he saw her. “Why are you already out here?” Happy asked. “Tony said that it might take a while before I have to take you home.”

When Happy said his name, Pepper froze again. “Tony told you to wait for me?” She asked and couldn’t hide her surprise. He was still taking care of her, even after he’d seen her with someone else. The aching pain in her chest became even stronger and she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn’t break down and cry, not right now. She had to find Tony and explain everything.

“Of course, said he had to leave again. Something about an emergency.” Happy shrugged. “He went that way, but I think I saw his suit in the air shortly after that.”

Of course he’d taken his suit to leave. Pepper felt her heart sink. How should she find him right now? “Did he say where he wanted to go?” Surely the emergency was just an excuse to leave.

Happy shook his head. “No idea. But he looked strange when he left. He was so tense and didn’t even look at me when he told me to wait for you.”

Now she really began to shiver. Not just because it was a cold evening, but since she began to understand how much she’d hurt him. And Pepper was worried. Tony used to do stupid things when he was upset.

Behind her back, someone called her name. When she recognized Gerald’s voice, she got into the car quickly. Happy seemed to understand that she didn’t want to talk to him, since he also ignored Gerald. “Where to?” Happy asked once they were on the road.

“I’m still thinking. Just keep driving, please.” She whispered absent-mindedly.

Where would Tony go in a situation like this? Not to the tower, that was obvious. There were too many people and he would like to be alone. He was in his suit, so he could be on every rooftop in the city…

Or would he still be in New York? She knew how fast he was. He could be anywhere right now. But surely Tony wouldn’t go back to Malibu spontaneously. After all, he was planning many things with the Avengers here in New York. Maybe the new facility in the north? However, they had just started to build it, there wasn’t much to be seen. 

She thought of their new house but shook her head immediately. He wouldn’t go there without her. Especially not now.

“Where are you, Tony?” Pepper whispered quietly and looked out of the window.

She leaned back in her seat and tried to relax. It didn’t work, though. Suddenly, she thought of something. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. There were no new messages, but she’d already expected that. Pepper only hesitated for half a second, before she tried to call Tony. It didn’t even ring. Most probably, he’d told JARVIS to block everyone who wanted to contact him.

She also considered to ask Steve, but then the others would know that something was wrong. And they would also look for Tony. She decided that she couldn’t do that to him. And they needed to talk alone.

When she closed her eyes, she saw many things. The first time she’d heard of Tony Stark, many years ago. It had been a report about his family and they’d mentioned how brilliant he was. “And hot.” Her best friend had said with a wink, while Pepper herself just remained silent. Nevertheless, she’d also noticed that he was very good-looking. And he had a very charming smile. Even on the screen, it had made her smile right back.

Years later, she had been looking for a job. It had been a rainy day and Pepper had been sitting on the couch of her apartment. She didn’t find anything interesting in the papers, so she began to search online. Suddenly, something caught her attention. It was just a small notification, however it made her heart race.  _Looking for a personal assistant. Female. Discreet. Ready to work overtime on special occasions._ After that, there had been a list of abilities that were required. And then there had been the most important thing.  _If interested, please contact Tony Stark._ This day changed her whole life. 

Pepper had been only one in a long line of applicants. When she showed up at Stark Industries that morning, she’d already considered to leave again since she didn’t see a chance for herself next to all the other women. The job interview had been short. Tony Stark was as brilliant as everyone said. And very self-confident. Even if she would never admit it, Pepper liked his humour. His wide smile made her heart race. Something that would never change around him. The interview had started pretty normal. ‘Tell me something about yourself, Mrs. Potts.’ Tony had said and somehow, Pepper had the feeling that he wasn’t really interested in those interviews. But while she talked, he became more attentive. And he even asked questions. Only later she realized that her conversation with Tony had been much longer than all the others. One day later, he called her personally and told her that she got the job. 

Working for him had been different than expected. The company had never been very important to him, unlike his personal enjoyment. There were parties, cars, alcohol and most importantly, women. Or course he also invented new things for the company and presented them, but next to that, he left everything to other people. First, Pepper thought that it had been a bad idea to take the job. But soon, she got used to his behaviour and wasn’t hurt anymore when she caught him with other women. And slowly, they became friends. Even if he was so much more for her.

She could still remember the day Rhodey told her about Tony’s disappearance in Afghanistan. Even if she tried to stay calm, she’d broken down later, when she was alone in her flat. The time when he was gone were the hardest weeks in her life. When he came back, he wasn’t the same anymore.

Tony Stark has always been a reckless person. But when he decided to become Iron Man and save the world, it had reached a new level. The fear for his life had nearly made her quit her job again. Pepper only stayed because he asked her to. And even then, his actions had always made her feel uneasy.

The moment she really thought that he’d lost his mind was when he made her CEO of Stark Industries. And when he tried to hide the Palladium poisoning from her, of course. Back then, she couldn’t quite judge him. Did he really have feelings for her, or did she just imagine it? In the end, it seemed like they were both on the same page.

The Avengers Initiative. She never thought that it would be another change in their life when he met the other superheroes for the first time. Somehow, they’ve become a part of his family. And they were a constant in their life now, even if they didn’t work together all the time. There were also periods in which everyone lived their own life.

And their life was something Pepper had never dreamed of. When she was with Tony, everything was so easy. He could always make her smile, even in the worst situations. She would never admit it, but his mere presence could calm her down. She loved his brilliant smile, his jokes and the way he took nothing too serious. And how he could charm a whole room just with his smile and his words. His urge to help others was also very attractive. But not the worry that came along with that.

She loved how he could make her laugh. All the places he showed her, the memories they made together. Honestly, she didn’t care where she was, as long as she could be with him. Kissing him was something she could never get tired of. And the way he looked at her when they were alone always made her heart race. When they touched, it still felt like her skin was on fire, even after all this time.

Pepper knew that she would do anything for him. She wanted to protect him. And when he was hurt, it was breaking her heart too.

Which made her think of their time apart, when she wanted to stop him from being Iron Man. She’d realized how wrong she’d been months ago. It was a part of him, one she couldn’t take away. And if she did, it would change him. Something Pepper never wanted.

They just got together again and they even planned to get married. And today, all those plans seemed to have fallen apart.

Again, she tried to figure out where he might be. However, she didn’t have any clue. So she looked out of the window silently, while Happy drove through the city aimlessly.

Which places did he like? Or places she might never step onto? What would Tony do?

Suddenly, she remembered something he’d said years ago. They’d been standing on the roof of a building, in the middle of a construction zone. The sun had been shining and Tony had smiled at her widely, holding out his arms.  _‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Come on, Pep. You have to admit that the sight is breath-taking! I can already imagine myself sitting here, looking at the city. Somehow, all the problems seem so far away when you’re up here.’_

Right behind him, she’d seen the statue of liberty.

Suddenly, Pepper knew exactly where she could find Tony.

“Happy, you have to turn back.” She told him the address.


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Tony thought that he must have been sitting there for about three hours, when he heard footsteps. He didn’t turn around, though. He didn’t want to face whoever wanted to talk to him.

The past hour or so, he’d been thinking of Pepper and their time together. All the good times and also the bad ones. Their many arguments, but also the time in between. They had many ups and downs in their time together when he thought of it more closely. Nevertheless, there were more happy memories than anything else.

After a few moments of hesitation, the footsteps came closer. Apparently, JARVIS had ignored his request and told someone where he was. Most probably Steve. He would be the first to notice that Tony didn’t return with Pepper and that something was wrong.

“When you’re here to talk, bad luck. I want to be alone.” He said loudly, still without turning around. “So you can just go away.”

“Tony…” When he recognized the voice, he froze. His heart was beating wildly in his chest and Tony was glad that it was dark. If she would see his face now, Pepper would know immediately how he felt. But why was she here? Where was Gerald? And how on earth did she find him?

“I said I want to be alone.” He muttered and looked over his shoulder. She was standing close to him now, probably too close, and there was a sad expression on her face. Next to something else he couldn’t quite place.

“Please, can we talk?” She took another step towards him, which made him able to move again. Before he knew it, he was on his feet and walked away from her.

“No. Absolutely not.” He replied immediately and sighed when she followed him quickly. “Just leave it, Pepper.”

“But Tony, we really need to talk.” She sounded desperate now and it nearly broke his heart, but he shook his head.

“From what I saw, there’s nothing we have to talk about.”

“It’s not what you think!” She was standing between him and his suit now, blocking his escape route. Of course he could just call the suit and leave either way, but the small voice inside his head told him to listen to her first.

“And what do I think?” He crossed his arms and the anger he felt when he saw her with Gerald returned, replacing the desperation. “I saw you together. Kissing him, in our favourite restaurant. In front of everyone. And you didn’t push him away!”

“Just because he took me by surprise!” Pepper shouted and ran her hands through her hair. Just now Tony saw that her hairstyle was already ruined.

“He took you by surprise.” Tony repeated her words and noticed how scornful he sounded. “How on earth can he surprise you like that? And even if he did that, you kissed him back.” He spat the last words and tried to walk past her once more. She grabbed his wrist to make him stay, which made Tony freeze again. When Pepper noticed that, she let go of him immediately. For just a second, he could see sadness on her face, but it vanished very fast.

“I didn’t kiss him back! I was too surprised to do anything! Or do you think that I expected him to do something like this, right in front of all those people? And when we were waiting for you!”

“I don’t know, maybe you wanted me to see you together?” He knew that Pepper would never do something like this, but he couldn’t hold back the words.

“What did you just say?” This time he didn’t imagine that Pepper looked hurt. And offended. “I would never do something like that to you! Even if I would want to end this.” She made a gesture that included them both. “Which I don’t.” She added the last words hastily and Tony knew that she’d seen the pain in his eyes.

He breathed in deeply. “Alright.” He buried his hands in his pockets. “So you didn’t want to kiss him.” The scepticism in his voice was obvious.

“No, of course I didn’t.” Pepper replied immediately, sounding agitated. “It was an accident.”

In short words, she told him about the dog and everything that happened after she stumbled. And how she left the restaurant and drove away with Happy.

“I told him that I never want to see him again.” Pepper finished her story.

For some time, Tony just looked at her silently, taking in the sad expression on her face. She was still wearing that dress without a jacket and she was shivering. Even if he was still angry, he couldn’t see her like this. Without saying anything, he took off his jacket and handed it to her. Which left him only in his thin shirt, but he didn’t care. When she took the jacket, Pepper smiled at him gratefully.

“Thank you.” She whispered. However, he didn’t smile back at her. He turned away again, looking at the city.

“How did you find me?” He asked, not wanting to talk about Gerald.

“It took me some time to figure out where I can find you.” She admitted. “When we bought this building, you said it is the perfect place to be alone and think of everything.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You remembered that? You hated that I needed this building.”

“Now, I understand what you meant back then.” She was also looking at the city. “It’s a beautiful sight, especially at night.”

“It is.” He agreed slowly.

They stood there in silence for some time, both lost in their own thoughts. Tony knew that they should keep talking about what happened, but he wanted to let her speak first. Most probably, he would just snap at her again. Because he was still hurt, even if Pepper insisted that it had been an accident. Somehow, he had the feeling that he should have prevented this. But the kid had been hurt and Tony hadn’t been able to leave Peter alone. He didn’t regret helping him anyhow.

“Where have you been?” Pepper asked finally, still not looking at him.

Tony sighed. “I needed to help someone.” He said simply, waiting for her reaction. When he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, he saw that she raised her eyebrows at him.

“And whom, if I might ask?”

“You can always ask.” Tony said before he could stop himself. Pepper’s lips twitched. “I’ve told you about Peter Parker.”

Pepper nodded. “The boy who plays superhero.”

He smiled slightly when he remembered his conversation with Peter earlier. “He’s calling himself Spiderman.”

Now she looked sceptical. “Spiderman? Reminds me of something.” Did he just imagine it, or did she grin for half a second?

“With a little help, he could be very good.” He defended Peter immediately.

“And you want to be the one who helps him.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” He told her about the bank robbery and Peters injury. “I just had to help him. I couldn’t let him sit there.”

“The Stark internship.” Pepper muttered more to herself. “You can be very creative. And you’re setting up the papers for this.”

“A good reason to be at the tower. And to escape his aunt May for some time.” When he remembered Peters aunt, he smiled slightly. She had nearly broken down when Peter had entered their apartment with Tony Stark.

“You like him.” Pepper stated and now she was really smiling.

Not knowing what to say, he just nodded silently.

“I’m glad that you helped him.” said Pepper. Suddenly, she seemed to remember what happened because of this and her smile vanished.

“Do you believe me?” She asked suddenly.

First, he didn’t know what she meant. He raised his eyebrows at her. “Do I believe what?”

“That I didn’t want to kiss Gerald.” And here they were again.

He sighed and turned away, not wanting her to see the dark look on his face. “I don’t like this guy. The first time I saw him, I knew immediately that he would cause trouble.”

“If I would have known what would happen, I would have never invited him.” Pepper said quietly. “I’m sorry. I knew you didn’t like the idea of him visiting right away.”

“You could have told me that you were together once.” Tony muttered. “Not just that he’s a friend from school.”

“Does it really matter? What happened between us years ago?” She sounded tired now.

“Apparently, it mattered to him.”

She sighed. “I didn’t think of it in that moment. We’ve been so close years ago, even before we got together. And I just thought that it would be nice to talk to him again.”

“Why did you break up, if you were that close?” Tony could hear the anger in his own voice. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to stay together then?”

He looked over his shoulder to see her expression. However, he couldn’t interpret the look on her face. Which rarely happened. “We had our differences.” She said finally.

“For example?”

“He wanted to leave for Europe because of his job. When he asked me to come with him, I said no. I didn’t want to leave everything behind. I asked him if there was another solution, but he didn’t even seem to listen. He wanted to have his career, no matter what it costs. Right before he left, he asked me again. My answer was the same. And he couldn’t forgive me that.” To Tony’s surprise, Pepper didn’t sound sad. It was rather thoughtful.

“So he chose his work over you.” Tony concluded.

She nodded. “He called a few times after he left, but that was all. He even invited me to visit him a few years later, but I declined.”

“Why?” He looked at her questioningly.

“I met someone else.” Pepper said simply. “Furthermore, I had to work. And with my new boss, it wasn’t easy to get free time spontaneously.”

“Who was he?” Tony asked slowly. “The one you met.”

She grinned. “My boss.”

“Huh?” Tony felt his lips twitch. “You never told me that you liked me back then.” When he thought of it, he noticed that Pepper must have gotten the invitation from Gerald only a few months after she’d started to work for him. She already liked him back then?

“I always liked you. Even if it wasn’t easy at the beginning.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Let’s not talk about that.” The thought of his behaviour so many years ago made him feel uneasy. Suddenly, another thought began to bother him. “He chose his work over you.” He repeated.

Pepper raised her eyebrows but nodded. “Not a good basis for a relationship.”

But didn’t he do the same? She asked him to stop being Iron Man. And he couldn’t. He even lied to her first. He took a step back unconsciously, trying to order his thoughts.

Pepper seemed to notice that something was wrong since a concerned look appeared on her face. “Tony? Are you alright?”

He shook his head. It wouldn’t work to lie to her right now. “I did the same.” He said simply and waited for her reaction.

When she realized the meaning of his words, here eyes widened. “That was different.”

“In what way?” He crossed his arms. Somehow, he had to know. If he dropped the subject now, the question would always haunt him.

“I love you, Tony. Even if you can be so stupid sometimes.”

“And you didn’t love Gerald?” She flinched at the sharpness in his voice.

“I did. But not like I love you. I only realized that later.” She smiled slightly, even if there was sadness in her eyes. “With him, it was never as easy as with you.”

“Nothing’s easy with me.” He replied immediately, but without humour in his voice.

“Maybe you’re right. But it’s worth it. You can always make me forget everything around me. Gerald was never able to do so.”

“Nevertheless, you were happy when he came over for a visit.” Tony argued.

“I already told you that I just wanted to talk to him. About the good old times.” Did he imagine it, or was she starting to sound desperate?

“The good old times.” He muttered. “Like your nice evening on the beach?”

She inhaled sharply. “I would have liked to slap him for mentioning that.”

“Yet you didn’t say anything.” Tony said simply. “The whole time when he was throwing looks and comments at me. You were too caught up in his stories.”

“I was just happy to have him there.”

“Your ex.” Tony growled. When she wanted to say something else, he held up his hand. “I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” He turned around and began to walk towards the other end of the roof, with the look at the Avengers tower.

He breathed in deeply, trying to calm down again. Somehow, this whole conversation didn’t make anything better. Yes, Pepper told him that she didn’t want to kiss Gerald several times, but why couldn’t he just believe her? Most probably because he hated that guy more than anything right now.

Or did he just transfer his anger at Gerald to Pepper? Could it be possible that he wasn’t angry at her, but at everything right now? He wanted to believe her that it was all Gerald’s fault, there was nothing he wanted more. But why was it this difficult?

He closed his eyes for a few moments and to his surprise, he was able to calm down a little bit. Which made him realize how cold it was. He started to shiver and crossed his arms. However, it didn’t help against the cold.

The footsteps behind him told Tony that Pepper was following him hesitantly. “You’re freezing.” She said quietly. “Do you need your jacket back?”

“You can keep it, I’m fine.” He replied. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that she didn’t believe him.

“You don’t believe me.” Pepper stated and sat down in the ground. “I ruined everything in just two days.” Before Tony really knew what was happening, she buried her face in her hands. It took him a moment to realize that she was crying. And the sight broke his heart.

“Hey, Pepper.” He knelt down next to her. “I do believe you.” He assured her and just now he realized that he really did. He placed an arm around her shoulders carefully. “It’s not your fault, Pep. I’m not angry at you.”

When he sat there next to her and she was crying, he couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. He wiped them away with his sleeve, but more followed. “Don’t cry. You’re always so strong, please don’t.”

When she finally looked up at him, she tried to smile. Until she saw the tears on his cheeks. “Tony…” She reached out to touch his cheek carefully. When her expression had been sad before, it was completely miserable now.

“It’s nothing.” He muttered huskily.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.” She whispered. “But that’s all I did ever since Gerald came here. I’ve been so stupid.”

Tony shook his head. “I shouldn’t let him get to me like this. After all, you agreed to marry me.” He hated that his voice shook at the end, showing his insecurity.

“And I feel like the luckiest woman in the world ever since you asked me.” She assured him. This time, her smile was real. “I love you, Tony Stark.”

“I love you too, Pep.” He whispered and pulled her closer. When he hid his face in her hair, he couldn’t hold back his sob anymore. He was still angry at Gerald and would pay him back somehow, but right now, the sadness took over.

He didn’t cry for a long time. When he finally pulled back, there was a soft smile on Peppers lips. “I’m glad that you believe me now.”

“I’ve been an ass for not believing you right away.” He whispered hoarsely.

She shook her head. “No, I get it. I would have acted the same way, I think.”

“Let’s not do this again.” He muttered.

“Definitely.” She agreed immediately and suddenly, they were kissing.

When they let go of each other again, the sun was already rising above the city. They’ve been on that rooftop the entire night.

“Maybe we should go home.” Pepper said. “You must feel terribly cold. And Happy’s still waiting for us in the car.”

“He’s probably still asleep.” Tony muttered and stood up. He felt stiff but held out his hand to Pepper either way. “And good idea, let’s go home.” He smiled at her when they made their way towards the stairs.

Before they could reach them, Tony’s suit took a step towards them. “ _Sir, there has been an explosion in Brooklyn._ _A part of a building crashed down and there are still people up there. The firefighters are not able to help the people on the top floors. They require your assistance._ ” 

Tony groaned. “Can’t the others deal with that?”

“ _Unfortunately, they cannot fly. Unlike you, Sir._ ” JARVIS informed him. “ _I can inform Captain Rogers either way, if you insist._ ” 

“No, let him sleep, I’ll deal with that.” Tony muttered, even if he felt like he could sleep any moment.

“Is this a good idea?” Pepper asked. “You’ve been up all night, sitting on this rooftop.”

“Seems like I don’t have a choice.” Tony muttered. He wrapped his arms around Peppers waist and pulled her close. “I’ll see you in bed in two hours max, Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark.” He whispered into her ear. Then he kissed her quickly and stepped into the suit.

On his way to the building, he was thinking of ways to deal with Gerald Fink.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

It took him only one hour to save all those people in the building. As soon as he made sure that no one was inside the building and it wouldn’t collapse further, Tony left. He entered the tower through the lab, not wanting to meet anyone. Unfortunately, he ran into Steve on his way to the elevator.

“Hey Tony, you’re early. But it’s good that we ran into each other, I wanted to talk to you –“ Steve stopped when he looked at Tony more closely and his eyes widened.

Tony knew how he must have looked. Still in his black, now dirty suit, without a jacket, dark rings under his eyes, his hair was probably a mess and he didn’t want to think of everything else.

“What happened? Did you even sleep last night?” Steve raised his eyebrows and Tony sighed when he saw the concern in his eyes.

“I’m fine. Last night’s been too long and too much happened, and I just got back from a small mission as well. But I’ll live. I think I’ll just spent today in bed with Pepper.” Tony leaned on the next wall, he didn’t think that he could stand much longer. “What do you want to talk about?”

“It can wait.” Steve said immediately and luckily, he didn’t ask any questions. “About the base in Alaska. After all, we want to have a look at it soon.”

Tony nodded. With everything that happened, he’d nearly forgotten that. “Maybe we’ll start planning tomorrow? I think the technology fair in Vancouver will be in two weeks. Leaves us enough time to plan everything.”

Steve nodded. “And now you should really get some sleep. I’m already waiting for you to break down in front of me.” Just now Tony noticed that Steve really was tense.

“Good idea.” He said, knowing that he couldn’t hold on much longer. “I bet Pepper will already be waiting for me.” Or she’d be already asleep.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Steve asked when Tony already entered the elevator. “I mean, you don’t have to. I’ll just tell the others that you and Pepper will be busy today.”

Tony smiled tiredly. “Thank you. And I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.”

Before the elevator doors closed, Tony saw that Steve was smiling.

When Tony entered the bedroom, he was surprised to see that Pepper was still awake. She also had dark circles under her eyes, but she smiled when Tony came in. However, the smile turned into a worried expression when she saw that he nearly stumbled.

“Why are you still awake?” He asked curiously and began to unbutton his shirt.

“I wanted to wait for you.” She answered simply. “Did everything go well?”

He nodded. “Building didn’t collapse, only minor injuries, the fire department will deal with everything else. Oh and I met Steve on my way back. He’ll tell the others that they shouldn’t look for us today.”

“But I have to work.” Pepper reminded him.

“Not a chance. You need sleep. After all, you’ve also been sitting on that rooftop the entire night.” When he’d changed in something more comfortable, he sat down next to her. She was still watching him, which made him smile. “JARVIS, tell Happy that he shouldn’t wait for Pepper today. At least not for the next six hours or so.” He added the last sentence when he saw the sceptical look on her face. “Come on, it’s six in the morning. No one will complain when you start to work in the afternoon.” 

He kissed her on the cheek and finally, she gave in with a sigh. “Alright. But I have an important meeting later. JARVIS, can you reschedule it?”

“ _Of course, Mrs. Potts._ ” JARVIS answered immediately. 

“Thank you.” Pepper closed her eyes when Tony wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer.

“I love you.” He whispered and buried his face in her hair. He didn’t hear her reply anymore.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, light was blinding him. And someone was holding his hand. He turned to Pepper and saw her smiling softly at him. “Good morning.” He whispered and sat up slowly. He was still tired and had a headache, but he decided to ignore it.

“Morning doesn’t fit anymore.” Pepper told him. “We passed midday.”

He groaned. “I’ve been asleep for only six hours? And how long have you been staring at me in my sleep? Not that I don’t like it. But you need to sleep as well, Pep.”

“I woke up ten minutes ago. And I’m fine. Besides, I can’t stay here much longer. After all, some people still have to work.” She laughed softly when he wrapped his arms around her.

“I’ve already worked this morning.” He reminded her. “After all, I saved people from a building.”

“That’s why you can stay in bed some more.” She kissed him but drew back far too quickly for his liking. Then she frowned. “You really need more sleep, you still look terrible.”

“And I thought I was always handsome.” He muttered and fell back into the cushions.

“You are. But the dark rings under your eyes crash she image.”

He laughed. “Alright, I see that I don’t have a chance in this argument.” He smiled slightly. “Nevertheless, I’ve also got to do a few things today.”

“I thought you told Steve not to look for us today?” She asked sceptically.

“I did.” He agreed. “But a day in bed without you doesn’t sound so tempting anymore. I can also use the time.”

“I won’t be gone for too long. The meeting will only take an hour.”

“And then someone doesn’t agree, there are more discussions, which lead to nothing, and in the end, it takes three hours.” Tony muttered. “Or even more.”

She sighed. “But when I come back, you won’t continue discussing your business with the others.” It wasn’t a request. Suddenly, a wide smile appeared on her lips and she leaned in, so that she was close to his ear. “After all, I promised you some time alone.”

She drew back quickly and before Tony realized what was happening, Pepper was on her feet and walked towards the bathroom. Leaving him alone with his thoughts and his fast beating heart.

* * *

In the end, he decided to join the others after a quick shower. They raised their eyebrows at him but didn’t ask any questions. Apparently, Steve had told them not to expect him today. He shook his head at Steve’s questioning look, showing him that they would talk about everything later.

They went to his lab to talk about the base in Alaska. They had to explain everything to Sam shortly since he just joined them recently. Steve told him that he didn’t need to help them at this, but Sam didn’t want to hear it. The technology fair in Vancouver was in two weeks and then, Tony, Bruce and Steve would go to Alaska on their way back. They didn’t have a real plan yet since they didn’t know what to expect at the Hydra base. They would land in a few miles distance and then they would continue on foot. Tony couldn’t use his suit, which bothered him already, but it was too dangerous.

As soon as they got information, they would leave. And then the planning would start again. This time, the plan for the attack.

It bothered Natasha, Clint and Thor that they couldn’t accompany them. However, Steve emphasized that many people would rather attract attention than a small group. After a long discussion, they agreed to stay in New York. Natasha and Clint would try to use their contacts to SHIELD agents (as far as you could trust them) to find out more about other Hydra bases. Thor only said that Doctor Selvig would be in New York at that time, which explained everything. Sam would try to find out more about Bucky, even if they all already knew that it would be useless. JARVIS was also on it, but he didn’t find anything yet. Tony offered Sam to read a few files about the Winter Soldier he’d decoded so that the other man wouldn’t feel completely useless.

When they had a plan for the next weeks, Clint and Thor left to watch tv, while Natasha and Bruce wanted to go out. Sam seemed to see that Tony and Steve needed to talk about something, because he followed Clint and Thor, saying that he wanted to join them.

Tony explained everything that happened the past evening to Steve in short words. While he listened, the frown on Steve’s face deepened. “I don’t like this guy.” He said when Tony finished.

He smiled slightly and ran a hand through his hair. “I can only agree with you.”

“You’re planning to pay him back for this.” Steve said thoughtfully.

Tony interrupted him before he could start to lecture him. “Yes, and don’t say that I shouldn’t do it. You can keep your morals to yourself this time, Steve. I can’t let him go like this.”

“I didn’t want to tell you not to do it.” Steve told him simply, which made Tony stare at him with wide eyes (and probably an open mouth).

“Wait, what?” He raised his eyebrows. “Did you just say that?”

Steve nodded seriously. “So what’s the plan?”

“Wow, let me arrange my thoughts again. I can’t believe it, Captain America gave me his blessing to play a little game with someone.”

“Don’t think that it’ll always be like this.” Steve muttered and rolled his eyes. “He hurt you. And Pepper as well. I don’t think that he should get away with it that easily.”

“I don’t know if I should thank you or ask if you’re alright.” Tony decided and shrugged. “But honestly, I don’t care. So the plan’s easy. I’m going to take everything from him.”

“That’s all?” Steve didn’t look impressed.

“What did you think? That I’ll beat him up?” He frowned exaggeratedly. “Tempting. But no, I that would be too easy. And most probably, he wouldn’t learn his lesson.” When Steve didn’t seem to understand him, he sighed. “I’m protecting what’s mine.”

And that was the reason why he wanted to hurt Gerald as much as possible. Tony was very protective of everything that belonged to him. And of those he loved. Especially Pepper because she was the best thing that ever happened to him.

“So what are you going to do?”

Tony grinned and started to explain his plan.

* * *

Pepper came back from the meeting three hours after her departure. She looked annoyed, but as soon as she saw Tony sitting on the couch and waiting for her, she smiled.

“Two hours.” Tony said thoughtfully and held out a glass of water to her when she sat down next to him. He would have preferred champagne, but he feared that his headache would only get stronger then. “Something went wrong, I assume?”

Pepper smiled at him gratefully and took the glass from him. “No, it went fine, actually. We just needed to change the contract and that took some time.”

He smiled. “That’s good.”

“How was the discussion with the Avengers?”

“We’ve got a plan now.” He said shortly. “After that, we’ll see what happens.”

They sat there in silence for some time, enjoying each other’s company. Tony watched Pepper, not even trying to hide it. Her hair was open today and she was wearing simple black jeans with a white shirt. It suited her. He smiled slightly when he noticed that she was wearing the earrings he gave to her a few weeks ago. And of course the engagement ring.

“You’re so beautiful.” He muttered and when she smiled at him, looking a little surprised, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Pepper followed his movement immediately and before Tony knew what was happening, she was sitting on his lap.

First, they kissed slowly, showing their love for each other. But soon, the kisses got more heated and Tonys hands began to wander over her body. When he began to unbutton her shirt, her breath hitched.

“I love you.” He whispered before he kissed her again. When he drew back, he grinned. “Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark.”

She chuckled breathlessly. “I love you too. And I can’t wait to marry you. Let’s do it soon. Just the two of us and our friends.”

“What about the press?” He asked when she pulled his shirt over his head. “I think many people would be offended when we don’t plan a big wedding.”

“I don’t care about the press. I’m tired of being one of their favourite targets.” Pepper whispered and suddenly, her lips were on his throat. He barely remembered that he was working on the buttons of her shirt.

“We can do it however you want. And whenever you want.” Tony muttered, kissing her again.

“In the spring? That would leave us enough time to plan everything.” She leaned back and he noticed that her eyes were shining.

“As you wish.” He agreed immediately. Honestly, he couldn’t wait to marry her. “And next week, we’ll go to Paris.”

“We’re doing what?” Her eyes widened at his sudden change of subject and he grinned.

“Paris. Four days. Just you and me. After all, we just got engaged. And we need another time off. Since last time didn’t work completely.” He tried to sound as apologetical as possible.

Pepper shook her head in disbelief. “You’re impossible.”

“You love me.”

“I do.” She agreed. “I assume you already checked my schedule?”

He nodded. “There are a few days without appointments.”

She smiled, even though there was still a frown on her face. “Why do I have the feeling that this is not the only reason why you want to go to Paris?”

He looked at her innocently. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“So this is not about a certain someone who returned to Paris today?” Now she was looking at him questioningly. “I know you don’t just drop the subject like this, Tony.”

“It’s about the two of us.” He said softly and touched her cheek. “I want to spend more time with you.”

When she just looked at him suspiciously, he sighed. “Alright, maybe  _he_ is another reason. But just a very small one. I wanted to take you somewhere even before he showed up here. I know what you want to say now, you don’t like this. And I’m sure you want to tell me that I should leave him alone.” 

“No, actually, that’s not what I was going to say.” She said simply.

Which made him stare at her wide-eyed. “What?!?” The second time today, someone surprised him. First Steve, and now Pepper. What was going on?

“What are you going to do? And how can I help?”

He kept staring at her silently for a few more moments before he pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. “I love you, Pepper.” When they drew back, he grinned while her cheeks were red. “And I can’t believe that you approve of this.”

“He hurt you.” She said simply. “And I am the only one who’s allowed to do that.”

His heart started to beat faster at her words. Again, he was reminded of how much he loved this woman. “Absolutely. Even if I’d prefer if you don’t do it. Well, in some situations…”

She hit his arm playfully to make him fall silent again. For a few moments, they just grinned at each other.

“Alright, the plan’s easy.” He told her about it.

She frowned at him, but in the end, she nodded. “This could work.” She admitted.

“It will work.” He corrected her.

“We’ll see.” She muttered and silenced him with a kiss. Then she stood up to pull him towards the bedroom.


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“A wedding in April.” Tony narrowed his eyes. “And you’re sure that this is a good idea?”

Pepper raised her eyebrows. “Why not? You said a wedding in spring sounds perfect.”

“I did.” He agreed slowly and shrugged. “Alright, it’s April, then.” He smiled slightly and Pepper grinned.”

“And we won’t make it public.” She reminded him. “I don’t want –“

“A bunch of strangers on our wedding, I know.” Tony interrupted her softly and squeezed her hand. “I’ll make sure that no one bothers us. And on our honeymoon.” At those words, he winked at her.

“You’ll have to tell me where we’re going.” Pepper said.

“Not a chance.” He grinned. “This is a surprise.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve still got about six months to find out.”

“You won’t.”

“So the others will know about it, but I won’t?” She looked sceptical and he knew that she was already thinking of how to get that information.

“Nope. At least not all of them.” He didn’t tell anyone about his ideas for their honeymoon yet.

“You’ll tell Rhodey and Steve.” Pepper shot back.

“And they won’t tell you anything, sweetheart.” He kissed her cheek.

It was a warm day in Paris. Tony and Pepper were walking along the Seine, close to the Eiffel Tower, holding hands. They had decided to start their time in Paris with a trip through the city. After looking at some sights, they ended up at the river.

Until now, no one had recognized them, or at least not said anything. Tony thought that he’d already seen a few curious glances. Disadvantage of being famous.

“We’ll see about that.” Pepper muttered, but then she dropped the subject. They had been talking about their wedding very much in the past days. Pepper was eager to plan everything and to Tony’s (and Bruce’s) surprise, Natasha wanted to help her with it. Tony had decided to let Pep plan everything since he wouldn’t be of much use anyway. And he would never admit it, but somehow the wedding made him nervous. After all, this was _his_ wedding and he was marrying Pepper. Everything had to be perfect for her. He wanted to make her happy. Unfortunately, Tony had a talent of ruining special moments. 

“So what’s next on our plan?” Tony asked curiously. They were just walking past the Eiffel Tower and Pepper looked at it with a smile.

“Actually, I wanted to visit the Louvre.” She said hesitantly. “But maybe we could go up there first?”

Tony looked at the tower in front of them and grinned. “Of course.”

Once they were on the viewing platform, Tony wrapped his arms around Pepper. “We should go on a vacation more often.” She whispered and he nodded.

“We really need more peace in our lives.” He agreed.

“No company. No meetings you have to attend. And no phone calls.” She whispered yearningly.

“No missions. And no Avengers who get on your nerves.” He grinned at the last words.

“You would not last a week without it.” Pepper threw in thoughtfully. “We’ve already tried that.”

“Alright, maybe you’re right. Then let’s say no intrusive fans who scream your name once they see you and insist on getting an autograph.” Tony threw in.

He just finished his sentence when they heard loud voices behind them. And then someone screamed. “Oh my god, there’s Tony Stark!”

“I take it back.” Tony whispered and heard Peppers laugh before he turned to the fans with a wide smile. “Next time we come up here will be at night.” He told Pepper over his shoulder before a pen was forced into his hand.

When they finally made it to the Louvre, Tony had signed two phones, an arm, a pair of sunglasses and seven postcards. The fans had been disappointed that he didn’t want to take any photographs, but luckily, Pepper saved him from that.

* * *

“It’s an honour to meet you , Mr. Stark.” Jim Meyer, the owner of the biggest energy company in Paris said with a wide smile. “I must say that your request to meet a few days ago took us all by surprise.”

Tony smiled widely and they shook hands. “It’s good to meet you too, Mr. Meyer. I’ve heard very much about your company.”

“Please have a seat.” Meyer smiled at him. “Would you like some coffee?”

“That would be great.” Tony agreed.

“It surprises me that you’ve heard something about us.” Meyer said and handed Tony a cup of coffee. The fact that he did it by himself impressed Tony. From what he read a few days ago, he thought that Meyer would be arrogant. However, he was the complete opposite. “After all, we’re just a small company. And our entry into clean energy is slow.”

“But your ideas have potential.” He told him. “With a little help, you could be a big deal for clean energy in Europe.”

Meyer’s smile grew wider. “And Stark Industries offers us this help.” He concluded, not sounding offended. Tony thought that he rather sounded happy. And just like Pepper said earlier, this was a chance for Meyer. Working with Stark Industries would get them more opportunities than they have by themselves.

“We like to support companies with good ideas.” It was true, about a year ago, they’d made a deal with an important company in Canada.

“Let me be honest, Mr. Stark.” Meyer said and leaned forward. “A deal with Stark Industries is something one can only dream of. And I dreamt of it, naturally. But until a few days ago, I thought that this dream could never come true.”

Tony grinned. If Meyer only knew why they were offering him this deal. It had nothing to do with the work of his company, even if he had to admit that their ideas were very promising. Pepper thought so too, which was the main reason why she agreed to this.

They had decided that Tony would talk to Meyer in private first. When he would agree to work together with SI, Pepper would join them and handle further negotiations.

“And here I am.” Tony held out his hands. “You shouldn’t underestimate your company, Mr. Meyer. We’ve been looking for a promising partner in Europe for some time by now.” Luckily, this wasn’t a lie. However, their targets had been companies in Germany so far. “Our goal is to bring our technologies into the entire world. Being our first partner in Europe would be a special position for you.”

Meyer beamed at him. “As I said before, it is an honour to have you here.”

“If you would agree, you would be an official partner of Stark Industries.” Tony explained. “You would be invited to the meetings of the business council twice a year, together with our partners from the other countries. There, we present the latest changes in the company. Additionally, on those occasions I present the latest inventions for the company. You would have access to them, if you agree to use them under the name of SI, of course. With that technology, you would be able to run Paris completely with clean energy, just as an example.” He smiled slightly. “The nice little tower you’re building together with this architecture office and those engineers would look small next to the projects you could afford then.”

Meyer looked surprised. “You know about the tower project?”

Tony nodded simply. “I have my contacts.” He said vaguely, not wanting to mention Gerald yet. “And I have the feeling that it’s a very expensive project for your company.”

Jim Meyer hesitated a few moments, before he nodded with a sigh. “It is, Mr. Stark.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Why did you agree to it in the first place?”

“Someone from Brown and Co., the company which employs the engineers, told us about the project about two years ago. It sounded to good to be true, a real win-win situation for all of us.” He smiled ironically. “When the project started, there were problems. Many of them. Until now, we’ve already spent more money than we can afford.” He looked uncomfortable now.

Tony had known all those things already but hearing it from Meyer and seeing his devastated expression were something else. He’d seen in their files that this project could cost them everything if it didn’t work. The person who’d given the idea to Meyer had been Gerald Fink. Pepper had been shocked when she’d seen the results of their research. When Gerald had told them about the project, it had sounded very good. Now they knew that it was indeed good for Gerald, but not for anyone else. The money that vanished wasn’t used for repairs at the building at all. Tony had known that Gerald was an ass right from the beginning.

He’d seen with a dark satisfaction that this made Gerald even more unattractive to Pepper. And it made her even more furious. Helping Meyer and his company and gaining an ally for SI had been mostly her idea. Tony just wanted to crush their deal, but this was even better.

“What if I’d say that you don’t have to worry about this anymore?” Tony asked slowly and smiled when Meyer looked at him with disbelief.

“We signed the deal, Mr. Stark. I doubt that there’s much we can do anymore.”

“Oh, there is, you can believe me.” Tony’s smile turned into a grin. “I can offer you a deal that is better than the one you made two years ago.” He pulled out his phone. “You can keep the tower and it will be run by clean energy, with a technique I invented myself. And Stark Industries will get new engineers and everything else you need to finish the building.”

Meyer’s eyes grew wide. “How should this work? We can’t just cancel it.”

Tony typed on his phone and in front of them, a few tables with various numbers appeared. “What if I’d tell you that someone has betrayed you?”

Suddenly, Meyer’s surprised expression turned into a shocked one.

Then Tony began to explain.

* * *

“Mrs. Potts, it’s good to finally meet you.” Jim Meyer shook Pepper’s hand. “Mr. Stark has already told me so much about you.”

Pepper smiled charmingly. “I hope only the good things.”

“Only the best.” Meyer smiled. It was the day after Tony’s first visit and Meyer was looking tired. After everything Tony told him the previous day, he wasn’t surprised. He didn’t want to imagine what he would look like if he found out that someone has been betraying him for years. Oh yeah, that _really_ happened to him, when he thought of it again. He pushed the mental image of Obadiah Stane away. 

“Mr. Stark already explained to me that you have knowledge that someone I’m currently working with is betraying my company.” Meyer started the conversation once they sat down. “He’s proven it to me and I’ve checked the files by myself” he glances at Tony apologetically “just to find out that it’s true.” He tried to hide his disappointment very hard, but Tony noticed it either way. From the look on Pepper’s face he knew that she saw it too.

“And we can offer you a way out.” Pepper said with a smile.

Meyer nodded.

“Did you think of it?” Tony asked and raised his eyebrows.

Meyer’s lips twitched. “I would be insane not to consider that offer. I talked about it with my council this morning.”

“We know that this came very sudden, Mr. Meyer.” Pepper said in an apologetic tone.

He shook his head. “Oh no, Mrs. Potts. It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about us. You took us by surprise, that is true. But our conversation was short and the opinions were clear.” He reached for a piece of paper on his desk and showed it to them. It was a list with names and their decision. Tony saw with satisfaction that no one voted with no. “We’ll accept the offer and would like to be an official partner of Stark Industries.”

Pepper smiled widely at him and Tony grinned as well. “It makes me happy to hear your decision.” She said.

“Welcome on board.” Tony added.

Meyer cleared his throat. “About our problem…” He began hesitantly, but Tony interrupted him.

“We will deal with that.” He promised. “Our own people will finish the building. We already contacted the architecture office and made a new deal with them.” Well, JARVIS did, but that didn’t matter. “And I will personally talk to the responsible persons at Brown and Co.”

Meyer still looked uncomfortable. “Maybe I forgot to mention that I have an appointment with Mr. Fink, the responsible engineer, today. In two hours, to be more exact. I’m so sorry, I forgot about it.”

Tony exchanged a look with Pepper and her lips twitched. He smiled at Meyer. “That’s no problem, then I’ll just talk to him here.”

Meyer looked relieved. “Thank you, Mr. Stark.”

“Shall we talk about everything then?” Pepper changed the subject.

The next hour, Tony pretended to listen to them. He knew that Pepper had everything under control. The deal was good for SI and their council had agreed to it immediately. A partner in Europe was a good start for their future in the whole world.

His thoughts kept wandering back to Gerald. The image of him kissing Pepper appeared in his mind and he clenched his fists under the table. Luckily, Pepper and Meyer were focused on their conversation and didn’t notice that he was distracted.

In the end, they decided to look at the current projects of Meyer’s company. Which made Tony pay attention again, even if he already knew the plans. He talked about it with Meyer for some time and promised to send someone with the current projects of SI soon. He already knew who that person would be when he thought of it more. The image of a young man at a new facility in LA appeared in his mind.

* * *

“Are you sure that you want to do this, Mr. Stark? I could also talk to him.” Meyer offered for the third time in a row. “You don’t have to bother yourself with him.” He glanced at Pepper as well.

Tony shook his head. “It’s alright, I can handle him.” He smiled slightly. “And besides, you’re part of SI now. So it’s also my responsibility.” He also didn’t want to miss all the fun. Unfortunately, Pepper couldn’t join them yet. She wanted to have a look at the rest of Meyer’s company first. Since they would only be here today, she needed the time.

“Thank you.” Meyer smiled at him and looked somewhat relieved. “You can call me when you talked to him.”

“I will.” Meyer left the office, so that Tony and Pepper were alone now.

“Don’t be too hard.” She said and touched his cheek softly.

“You don’t mean that.” Tony muttered. “He kissed you against your will, caused trouble and betrayed a very nice man with the heart in the right place.” Did he really just say the last part? “I won’t make it easy for him.”

Pepper narrowed her eyes. “Do what you have to do.” She said finally. “And tomorrow, we’ll have the day for ourselves again.”

“Of course.” He promised. She kissed him quickly, before she followed Meyer.

However, Tony didn’t have to wait long for a knock on the door. Meyer’s personal assistant knew about their plan, which is why she wasn’t surprised when Tony sat on Meyer’s desk instead of her boss.

“You can go in.” She told Gerald, who entered the office with a wide smile. The assistant (Tony forgot her name) closed the door behind Gerald, but not without exchanging a grin with Tony.

“Mr. Meyer, I’ve got good news!” Gerald stated loudly and only then it seemed like he really looked at the person in front of him. The smile vanished from his lips slowly, his eyes widened and Tony thought that his face lost a bit of colour. Slowly, his mouth formed into a thin line and he narrowed his eyes. “What are _you_ doing here?” He demanded to know and stopped in front of the desk, his arms crossed. 

Tony grinned at him. “And that’s how we meet again. Why are you looking so angry, is something wrong?” He raised his eyebrows and tried to look clueless. From the fact that Gerald’s face was slowly turning red, Tony knew that it worked.

“Where is Meyer?” Gerald asked slowly, ignoring Tony’s comment.

“He won’t come.” Tony said simply and raised his eyebrows at Gerald. He was wearing a green suit with a fitting tie. “Nice suit, by the way.” It looked horrible. “Where did you get that? You could give me the address because I’d love to –“

“What is going on?” Gerald interrupted him loudly and clenched his fists. “And stop with your stupid comments, Mr. Stark.” Tony didn’t like the way he emphasized his name. It sounded like a disease. Luckily, he was used to that.

“Your deal with Meyer blew up today.” Tony said seriously. “This company is now an official partner of Stark Industries.”

Again, Gerald’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that.”

“I can. And we did.” Tony told him. “Meyer knows everything. There was never a problem at the tower, you betrayed him and took his money. He signed the deal with SI an hour ago. The contract with your company and the architecture office has been annulled. And before you say anything, yes, we can actually do that.” He smiled slightly. “You should look for a good lawyer, Mr. Fink. You will need it.”

“Can you even prove that I should have taken money from Meyer?” Gerald asked contemptuously.

“Of course.” Tony answered simply. “I’ve got all the files. I know when you’ve taken the money, for what you’ve spent it and where the rest is.”

Gerald stared at him in silence, his face a deep shade of red. He clenched and unclenched his fists slowly and took a step towards Tony. “You…” He began and shook his head. “I always said that you’re an asshole.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Says the man who betrays others and tried to take away my fiancé.” He stood up slowly. “Let me be totally honest. If you wouldn’t have shown up at New York last week, I wouldn’t have cared what you were doing at all. You could have betrayed as many people as you want. But when you visited Pepper, flirted with her and even  _kissed her_ , you crossed a line.” 

“And what about you? _You_ killed thousands of people with your weapons. And even now, people are dying because of your actions. You aren’t a good person. Pepper doesn’t want to hear this, but everyone knows about it. She deserves so much better than you. I wanted to make her see that. How many times did she get in danger because of you? How many times did she nearly _die_ just because you couldn’t shut your mouth? She should have a normal life with someone who can really love her. Who doesn’t bring her in danger.” Gerald breathed in deeply. “It was a mistake to leave her all those years ago.” 

“She told me something different.” Tony threw in, remembering Pepper’s words about her relationship with Gerald.

“It took some time, but I realized my mistake. But at that time, she already met you!” Gerald growled. “Next to all the things you did, taking some money from someone isn’t a crime!”

“I never said that I’m a saint.” Tony replied immediately. “And she knows this. I’m trying to make up for all the mistakes I made. Because I don’t like the person I’ve been anymore. I’m trying to do good things now. Pepper knows this as well. And she understands.” He ran a hand through his hair. “What I don’t want is to be like you.”

“And what am I?” Gerald asked angrily.

“The short version? A bad person.” Tony shrugged. “You should have stayed away from her. I don’t like it when someone messes with the ones I love.”

“Don’t talk to me about love!” He was shouting now. “I loved Pepper more than anything! We were happy all those years ago! I wanted her to come with me to Europe, but she said no. She wanted to stay with her friends and family! And when I asked her again, she still said no! I thought she was joking when she first told me that she was working for you now. Out of all people she chose you!” He was breathing heavily now. “And now, years later, she still choses you! How can anyone be so blind? The world would be better off without you!”

“I think she made a good choice.” Tony said without really thinking about it.

In the end, he didn’t know what did it. His comment, the fact that Gerald was very angry or completely insane. He threw himself at Tony and his hands reached for Tony’s throat.

Tony reacted without thinking. All the training with Steve had improved his reflexes. He moved aside and Gerald’s hands grabbed Tony’s shoulder instead. Tony hit him in the stomach hard and with his free hand, he twisted Gerald’s shoulder. In one fluid movement, he threw Gerald to the ground and placed his foot on his stomach.

Tony didn’t think that Gerald was badly injured, but he was breathing heavily. “I told you not to mess with me.” He told Gerald and looked over his shoulder when the door was opened loudly.

In front of him stood Meyer’s assistant. “I heard loud noises!” She shrieked and her eyes widened when she saw Gerald lying on the ground.

“He attacked me.” Tony said simply. “And it’s good that you’re here. Would you be so nice and call the police?”

“Oh that won’t be necessary.” A voice behind her said and Tony grinned when he saw Pepper and Meyer standing thee. “I already did that. We heard the sounds as well and I thought that something must have happened.”

“Pepper…” Gerald panted, but she ignored him.

“Are you alright?” Her words were directed at Tony.

He nodded. “Of course. You can’t have thought that someone like him could hurt me?” He raised his eyebrows at her.

“No.” She replied quickly. Then she glanced at Gerald. “I told you that I didn’t want to see you again.” Without one more word, she left the room again.

Meyer looked at Tony with wide eyes. “What happened?”

Tony shrugged. “Seems like I forgot to tell you that we knew each other. And that we aren’t best friends if you understand what I mean.”

Meyer nodded quickly. “Of course, Mr. Stark.” He avoided to look at Gerald, who tried to free himself now. “My employees ask if you could see them later?” He asked sheepishly.

Tony grinned. “Yeah, I’d like that.”


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“I’ll never go to a technology fair again! Especially not when you’re with me!” Steve muttered darkly.

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad.” Tony looked over his shoulder and smiled slightly. “You didn’t even have to do anything! You just stood next to us.”

“And many people were harassing me. I don’t know anything about modern technology.” Tony just knew that Steve rolled his eyes now.

“Next time, Tony and I will go alone, I promise.” Bruce threw in.

“As if you could persuade me to accompany you again…”

“You have to see the positive side of things. We know more about Alaska now.” Bruce’s voice was thoughtful.

“Now we just have to figure out how that can help us.” Steve didn’t sound convinced.

“It will help us a big deal.” Tony said loudly. “Now we know how to get in.”

They were in the jet on their way back to New York. The technology fair had been interesting, but Tony could figure out better ways to spend his time. Especially without so many people around who all wanted to hear the opinion of Tony Stark. And Bruce Banner, of course.

When they were finally able to leave in the evening, they made their way to Alaska. Without his suit, Tony felt naked when they approached the base. However, he knew that it wasn’t possible to use any technology. At least not yet. The trip had given them some ideas to solve that problem. The base wasn’t as guarded as they’d expected.

“Care to explain?” Steve asked.

“I think the others want to hear it as well.” Bruce threw in.

“And Rhodey. I promised that he can come with us. For the help in California.” Tony added.

“Yeah, we talked about that.” Steve agreed. A few days ago, Tony and Steve had thought about offering Rhodey a place among the Avengers. They were both sure that he would fit in the team well.

And then there was Peter Parker. In the past two weeks, he’d visited the tower a few times. Poor kid nearly lost his mind when Tony introduced him to Captain America and the other Avengers. They all liked him and someday, he could be a good addition to the team as well. If Tony would be able to train him properly. He was very hot-headed. Not a big surprise when you considered his age. Pepper liked Peter as well, which made Tony happy. Even Happy smiled at the kid sometimes, which was a good sign.

“How’s work going at the new facility?” Steve asked after a few minutes of silence. “From what you told us, the building should be finished soon.”

“It will.” Tony confirmed. “Do you want to see it?”

A few hours later, they arrived in New York. Even if Tony had already seen it, the new buildings still impressed him. The new facility would be huge, and no one would bother them out here.

“Wow.” Steve muttered while he looked out of the window. It was nearly midday and the sun was shining. After their nightly trip to the Hydra base, they’d slept in the jet. It wasn’t the most comfortable night, but they were all too exhausted to fly back at night. They had left in the early morning.

“And that’s all for us?” Bruce asked and Tony smiled at the surprise in his voice.

“Of course. Living quarters, conference rooms, training areas, storerooms, everything’s there. A lab for me and once for you, several rooms so that everyone can train his or her special abilities. I thought of everything.” Tony explained. “Here we have more space than in the tower. We’ll call it the Compound.”

“I can imagine that it’s big enough for all of us. Can we go inside?” Steve’s question made Tony smile even wider.

“Of course, not everything’s finished yet, but I can show you around.”

“When the Avengers move in here, the entire tower will be for Stark Industries?” Steve asked and looked around again. He looked impressed, just like Bruce.

“That’s right. For about two minutes, I thought of selling the tower, but I discarded that idea very fast.” Tony smiled slightly. “It’s our home when we’re in New York, and I don’t think that Pepper wants to stay in a building full of Avengers and so far away from SI. And yours too, of course. You’ll always have your rooms there.”

Bruce avoided to look at Tony, but to his surprise, Steve hugged him tightly. After a quick ‘thank you’, they made their way inside.

* * *

“And you’re sure that it’ll work?” Natasha asked sceptically. “Because if it doesn’t, this could be very dangerous.”

“I know. But it will work, trust me.” Tony emphasized every word.

“Otherwise, half of us wouldn’t be able to fight anymore.” Natasha continued without responding to his interjection. “And at least two of us, if not even three, would be stuck in their suits.” She glanced at Tony, Rhodey and Sam.

“Don’t you trust our abilities?” Tony crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

“I’m just planning the worst-case scenario.” Natasha shrugged. “But if you insist that it will be alright…”

“We’ve considered every possible problem.” Bruce tried to calm her down.

“I doubt that.” She said dryly.

“Alright, all the problems you can anticipate.” Bruce corrected himself.

Natasha smiled at him. “Better.”

“The chance that it won’t work is very small. And if it doesn’t, we can still retreat.” Tony threw in. “And once the transmitter works, it won’t be a problem anymore. We’ll prevent a possible breakdown by disconnecting the entire machine.”

“That’s what I’ll do.” Bruce nodded. “It won’t take long.”

“In case no one tries to stop you.” Somehow, Tony had the feeling that something about this mission was bothering her.

“That’s what we’ll prevent.” Steve said loudly.

“So we can only go in if the device that enables technology is destroyed completely? Because otherwise, there might be a small chance that your transmitter won’t work anymore and we can’t get out of our suits anymore?” Rhodey asked slowly and raised his eyebrows at Tony.

Tony hesitated for a moment, before he nodded. “Yeah, that’s it.”

Rhodey groaned. “Remind me why I wanted to be a part of the Avengers?”

“It will work.” Tony repeated what he’d said about ten times in the past hour.

“Why am I not so sure about this?” Rhodey asked and exchanged a look with Sam.

“I trust that Tony’s and Bruce’s device will work.” Steve declared. “They’ve still got some time to work on it before we’ll leave.”

“Just in case we can deal with the whole Alaska thing before the peace conference in Vienna.” Clint muttered. “Because that’s more important, isn’t it? No matter what Hydra is doing in the north.”

They all looked at each other in silence, knowing that they needed to act fast.

* * *

“Any signs of Bucky yet?” Steve asked half an hour later. The others had already left and now they were alone in the lab.

Tony shook his head. “JARVIS is still on it. Somehow, I have the feeling that Bucky knows that we’re trying to track him.”

“He knew that before, didn’t he?” Steve raised his eyebrows. “And you found him either way.”

Tony wasn’t that enthusiastic, but he smiled slightly. “Maybe it will just take time, like before.” He didn’t want to crush Steve’s hopes.

“Otherwise, we’ll see him in Vienna.” Steve sighed. “We have to decide if we’ll deal with the Hydra facility before or after our trip to Europe.” He looked concerned now.

“I have a bad feeling about it.” Tony admitted and the surprise on Steve’s face made him feel uneasy. He understood it anyway. It rarely happened that Tony Stark admitted that he was afraid of something.

“We’ll deal with the whole technology thing.” Steve said slowly. “I know that you’re worried about fighting without your suit, but it will be alright, I’m sure of that. Your device will work, no matter what Natasha and the others say. I trust you and Bruce with this.”

Tony smiled slightly, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t vanish. “It’s not that, Steve.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t explain it, but somehow I fear that something bad will happen.”

Steve looked at him attentively. “You’ve been worrying for some time, right?”

Tony laughed weakly. “You really notice everything, don’t you?”

“You’re my best friend.” Steve answered simply. “I know you, Tony. And something’s been bothering you ever since we left California.”

In this moment, Tony really wanted to say something. Admit that Steve was his best friend as well. Or thank him for his trust. Maybe tell him that he really appreciated their friendship, especially after the way they acted when they first met? In the end, no words would leave his mouth. Instead, he just smiled at Steve.

For a moment, Steve smiled back and they just looked at each other in silence. Then Tony cleared his throat and the moment was over. “You’re right, ever since we found out about the facility, I’ve been worried. I can’t explain why, though. It’s just a feeling.”

Steve frowned. “So your instinct tells you to stay away from that building.” He concluded and crossed his arms. There was a thoughtful expression on his face and somehow, Tony knew that he was in Cap mode now.

“It’s stupid, I know.” Tony threw in quickly, knowing that Steve would think just that. Most probably, he would say that Tony was just worrying too much or that he needed a break. “Just ignore that I said anything at all. We can deal with that as soon as our transmitter is ready –“

“When you have a bad feeling about this, we should take more time to plan the mission.” Steve interrupted him seriously. “And we shouldn’t rush anything. Maybe we even need to go to Alaska again and have another look at that building. See who goes in and out, what happens there, you know that stuff.” 

Tony stared at him. “You don’t think that I’m overreacting?” He asked quietly.

Steve shook his head and to Tony’s surprise, he chuckled. “Tony, in all the time we’ve been working together, I’ve learned two things.”

“Oh, now I’m curious.” Tony muttered.

“First, never mess with Tony Stark because you’re going to lose. And second, never mistrust his instincts since they’re right most of the time.”

“Just most of the time?” Tony raised his eyebrows, but he was grinning now.

“Most of the time.” Steve agreed and smiled slightly. Tony noticed that his eyes were gleaming mischievously, but Steve got serious again soon. “Alright, let’s stop joking.” He breathed in deeply. “I’m serious, Tony. When you have the feeling that this is a bad idea, we’ll take more time.”

“But what if there’s something in there we have to deal with fast?” Tony asked. “Then we need to act soon.”

“You said that JARVIS is on it. And you’ve been looking for information as well.” Steve said slowly.

“Yes, J didn’t find anything, but I did. Nothing important, though. Just a few deliveries. Mostly clothes. And weapons, but nothing heavy. Not even good ones, at that.” Tony explained what he found out in the morning before the meeting with the Avengers. Those things have been the first real clue to anything that happened in Alaska. In the past weeks, it was like the facility didn’t even exist.

Steve was silent for some time. “Could they train their new recruits there?” He asked. “I mean, clothes and weapons. You don’t use that to get more power. And when the weapons aren’t even good ones, they’re actually useless.” He raised his eyebrows at Tony.

“That could fit.” Tony muttered. “But why would they prevent to use technology there?”

“Maybe so no one finds out what they’re doing?” Steve suggested.

“They can’t invent anything technical there, their own devices won’t work as well.” Tony muttered thoughtfully.

“We have to find their main laboratory too.” Steve sighed. “But that’s the task for another day. First, we have to deal with this one.”

“So what are we going to do? Natasha seems to have doubts about this as well.”

“We could leave it and deal with that after Vienna…” Steve looked at the calendar on Tony’s desk. “We have to plan the piece conference as well, after all. And that will take a few days or more.”

“And until the conference, we’ll spy on Alaska again?” Tony asked. “Maybe we could send Natasha and Clint. After all, they’ve experience in spying. “

Steve nodded. “I’ll talk to them.” He decided. “Maybe Sam wants to help them. I think just sitting here bores him. I would go too, but I think I’m needed here when we plan Vienna.”

Tony grinned at this. “So we’ll plan that together?”

“If someone can get into the schedule of the conference it’s you. And I think we’ll need that. Maybe we should also talk to your friend who got us in, Everett Ross. He could help us when you already hinted to him that this conference could be dangerous for the king of Wakanda.”

Tony laughed. “I bet he would love to know what’s going on.”

“Did you startle him that much?” Steve raised his eyebrows.

“Let’s say he likes to be in control of things. And he didn’t like that I know something he doesn’t.”

“We’ll talk to the others and when everything’s discussed, we might let him know what’s going on. Or at least parts of it.” Steve decided.

Tony nodded. “So another Avengers meeting, about two hours after the first one? We need to make it short, then. Pepper wants to go out for dinner and I don’t want to let her wait.”

* * *

“Something troubles you.” Pepper said slowly and Tony looked up from his plate.

“What do you mean?” He raised his eyebrows. They were sitting in their favourite restaurant and Pepper has told him a few stories about her day at work, which was, to be honest, not really exciting.

“Tony, I know when something’s wrong.” She explained and sighed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He looked around carefully. The place was crowded as always and he didn’t want anyone to hear their conversation. “Maybe later.”

Pepper seemed to understand what he meant since she nodded. They were silence for a few minutes, before she spoke again. “You told Happy to pick up Peter on Thursday while I’m in the online meeting with our new partner in Europe.”

He smiled at her, grateful for the change of subject. “Yes, the kid will come to the tower. I’ve just finished his new suit and he wants to test it.” He grinned when he remembered the conversation with Peter and how excited the kid has been. “And we’ll practice fighting a little more, he could need that in dangerous situations. What he doesn’t know yet is that Steve will join us. Poor kid will probably get another heart attack, he’s still nervous around the famous Captain America.”

She raised her eyebrows. “He’s nervous around you too.”

“I think he’s getting used to it.” Tony shrugged.

“He stares at you when you don’t look at him. And the background of his smartphone is a picture of Iron Man.”

At that, Tony raised his eyebrows in interest. “Oh? How did you notice that?”

“Last week, he called his aunt when he were standing in the elevator together.” Pepper explained, a sly smile on her lips. “You can admit that you feel flattered by this, I can see it on your face.”

He laughed and held up his hands. “You know how I am, Pep.”

She chuckled. “Don’t be too hard with him, he’s still a kid.”

“I’ll remind Steve of that. After all, he’ll run that training session. And you know how many bruises I have after training with him.” The first time Tony had finished working out with Steve, Pepper had been shocked. She even thought that something happened to Tony when she’d seen all the bruises.

Pepper grimaced. “But you’re getting better, you didn’t look like someone tried to beat you up the last few times.”

“And that’s good, I really have to get better soon…” He muttered darkly and ignored her worried expression. “Do you want to leave?” Tony asked suddenly, needing to get out of that restaurant.

She nodded. “Back to the tower?”

“Maybe the Central Park?” He asked instead.

“Alright, as you wish.”

Twenty minutes later, they were walking through the park. Tony was holding Pepper’s hand and first, they just enjoyed being outside. Tony didn’t want to start the conversation about what’s bothering him, so he just waited for Pepper to say something.

“You’re worried about something.” She said finally.

He sighed, even if he’d promised her to talk about this. “Yes, and it seems like it’s not just me.” In short words, he told her about his worries concerning the Hydra base in Alaska. “Natasha has doubts as well, we talked to the others about it again. We want to have another look at it first. Nat, Clint and Sam will head to Alaska soon. Thor wanted to accompany them as well, but we all agreed that he’ll get bored too fast and that could be dangerous.”

“So where’s the problem? When you take your time to plan everything, nothing can go wrong.” Pepper looked at him questioningly.

“I don’t know. As I said, it’s just a bad feeling.” He shrugged. “Most probably, I’m really acting stupid and just delayed everything with my unsubstantiated worries.”

“You said that you’re not the only one who’s worrying.” Pepper reminded him. “So maybe there’s more behind that facility than you think. Maybe you can even find more about it, there have to be files that say what it’s about.”

“We still have a few files of Hydra to look at, from the computers we got in Santa Barbara.” Tony nodded. “Hill and her team wanted to have a look at them, but they haven’t made it yet. There’s something else they’re dealing with, some of the agents in the tower left recently, and we didn’t see agent Hill for some time. I think it’s about her brother, however they refuse to tell us anything.”

Pepper frowned. “I still don’t like that they’re using our tower as their new base.”

Tony shrugged. “It is what it is. They’re not causing us trouble, so there’s no need to worry.” They had enough to worry about already.

“I just hope they’ll leave again someday.” She didn’t sound happy.

“I hope so too.” Tony admitted. Maria Hill had caused enough trouble for a lifetime. “Who knows, maybe that’ll happen sooner than expected.” SHIELD still had far too many secrets for his liking, who could know what else they were planning? Most probably, Tony should try to find out something about that as well…

“What is it now? You’ve got this far-away look on your face, the one that always appears when you’re planning something.” She raised her eyebrows. In times like this, Tony hated that Pepper noticed everything.

“I should find out what SHIELD’s planning soon.” He said and shrugged. “If I find the time, next to everything else that’s going on.”

“Do you think that there’s even more going on?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”

Pepper smiled softly. “I’m sure everything will work out in the end. SHIELD, the Hydra facility, Vienna, just everything.” She squeezed his hand. “You can do all this, Tony.”

They stopped and she kissed him. When they parted, Tony leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you, Pepper.”

“I love you too.” She smiled again. “Do you want to go back? I bet you still have lots of stuff to do.”

“That can wait until tomorrow.” Tony whispered. “We’re taking the evening off. JARVIS can already have a look at those files, he doesn’t need me for that. And I’ll look into SHIELD business within the next days.”

“Then let’s go back.” They walked back hand in hand.


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next days, Tony locked himself in his lab. He only left for meals and to sleep. Sometimes, Steve visited him, mostly to keep him company. There was not much he could do to help Tony, even if he was very busy.

First, he had to make the last tests at the Spiderman suit. Then, he was looking into the last Hydra files to find out something about the facility in Alaska. He was trying to track Bucky. And he tried to find out what SHIELD was doing in his tower. Next to that, Rhodey’s suit needed an update for the software, sometimes the weapons were going crazy. And Steve’s gauntlets needed to be checked again before they went to Vienna.

In the end, he fixed Rhodey’s suit first – he had to leave soon, since they didn’t plan to go to Alaska in the next weeks, he’d accepted another mission – and took care of Steve’s gauntlets. Then he ran the tests for the Spiderman suit. While Tony did that, Steve was already reading a few files about Hydra. So far, they couldn’t find anything about Alaska.

On the second day, Sam accompanied Steve to the lab. While Steve tried to find something about Hydra, Sam kept looking for Bucky with JARVIS’ help. However, it was Sam’s only visit. He would leave with Clint and Natasha the next day.

When Tony finished all the suits, he hacked into the SHIELD servers. It wasn’t difficult since they were even in the same building. Maria Hill and a few other agents were on a mission at the moment, it was called ‘Rescue’. Tony suspected that it was about her brother. When he looked at it more closely, he noticed that they were in Asia at the moment. Apparently, someone kept the files updated the whole time. Most probably their supervisor.

Since he didn’t really care what they were doing there, Tony took a closer look at Hill’s personal server. It was better protected than the other servers, but it also wasn’t a problem for him. There were many documents with unimportant numbers and stuff like that, which Tony decided to ignore. He’d nearly given up when he found something interesting.

“Hey Steve, you should look at this.” Tony said loudly. It was Wednesday and they were alone in the lab since Sam was already on his way to Alaska.

“Did you find something? Because I didn’t. It’s like Alaska doesn’t exist.” Steve stood up and looked at Tony questioningly.

“I’m not sure yet.” Tony pointed at the screen. “This is a conversation Hill had with someone two weeks ago. It was deleted, but I was able to restore parts of it.”

Steve looked at the screen with a frown. “What is this about?” He scanned the lines slowly.

“It’s about SHIELD’s current missions and the status of our plans concerning Hydra.” Tony explained.

Steve raised his eyebrows. “I thought Maria Hill doesn’t know anything about our plans.”

“She doesn’t. That’s why that part of the conversation is very short.” Tony said with a slight smile. “She can’t get into our files.”

“But we can get into hers. How practical.” Steve muttered.

“That’s not the point right now.” Tony threw in. “Look at the last lines.”

Tony saw that Steve’s eyes widened when he read them. “This can’t be…?”

“It is.” Tony said.

“But how?”

“When I knew what I was looking for, I found this.” Tony showed him another file.

Now Steve gasped.

They had just identified the new director of SHIELD. Eve if that shouldn’t be possible. After all, he was dead.

They exchanged a look. “What are we going to do now?” Steve asked.

“This is top secret.” Tony reminded him.

“But if he’s alive and the director of SHIELD now… Shouldn’t they have informed us?”

“The Avengers are not working for SHIELD.” Tony muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “I doubt that they want anyone to know. Maybe even the other SHIELD agents don’t know about this.”

“Just like they don’t know that Fury’s alive…” Steve sighed. “I think Nat and Clint have the right to know. After all, they are his friends.”

“But wouldn’t that endanger his mission? Seems like he’s pretty busy with his team.” He threw in.

Steve looked troubled. “So we should just keep this to ourselves?”

“I think we should speak to Hill about this once she returns.” Tony said slowly.

“She won’t tell us anything.” Steve crossed his arms. “You know how she is.”

“True.” Tony frowned. “There will be a reason why they keep this secret. What I would love to know is how they did it. He _was_ dead.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “I bet you’re going to find out soon enough.”

“If I would have more time, I’d just do it now…” Tony sighed. “But there’s no time. Our priority is Vienna. And tomorrow, we’ll be training with Peter.”

At this, Steve’s lips twitched. “Maybe you should have a look at it, while I deal with the peace conference.”

“But you wanted me to contact Ross.”

“That can wait until Friday.” Steve decided. “Now I’m curious as well.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Or is this because Captain America hates it when someone has secrets?”

Steve shrugged. “Maybe both.” He admitted.

“Alright, but just today.” Tony decided. “I can’t believe that the Agent is alive.”

“I’m still not sure if we should tell the others about this.”

“Maybe we should deal with our own problems first.” Tony suggested. “We can’t risk that the team gets distracted in Vienna or Alaska. After that, we can think of it again.”

Steve nodded, though he didn’t look happy. “That’s what we’ll do.” He decided. “You won’t tell Pepper, right?”

Tony shook his head. “She would just get excited. And I bet that she would want him to come to our wedding. She always liked him.” He smiled slightly.

“Is it just me, or is too much happening around us at the moment?” Steve asked thoughtfully.

“We could all use a break, I think.” Tony agreed. “Maybe the past years have just been too uneventful.”

“They weren’t.” Steve argued immediately.

“Probably you’re right…” Tony muttered.

* * *

“So you’re telling me that someone plans an attack on the king of Wakanda. And it will happen during the peace conference in Vienna. One of the biggest meetings this year, I just want to add.” Everett Ross said and looked at them sceptically. “You can’t really expect me to believe this without a proof.”

Tony and Steve exchanged a look. “But we have a proof.” Tony explained seriously. “More than one, to be exact.”

“And you already believe us, otherwise you wouldn’t have come.” Steve added.

“You also wouldn’t have gotten an invitation for the Avengers to the conference.” Tony smiled slightly.

Ross sighed. “Alright, you’ve got a point there. But I have to take this seriously. After all, I’m responsible for all business concerning Wakanda.”

“I thought superheroes and not just Wakanda?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

“Well, yeah. There’s been a change of the plan. Thaddeus Ross deals with superheroes in general now, I’m the expert for Wakanda.” Ross explained.

“Is this about Ulysses Klaue and the Vibranium?” Steve asked.

Ross stared at them blankly. “Is there anything you don’t know yet?” He crossed his arms, but then he sighed. “And yes, it is about him. We’ll have to find him soon.”

“Why is it so difficult?” Steve wanted to know.

“Because that man is really good at vanishing. And every time we try to talk to him, he escapes. Or he hasn’t got the Vibranium, which doesn’t help us at all.” Ross looked annoyed now. “But let’s not talk about that any longer. It’s secret, I already told you too much.”

“We already knew that.” Tony assured him. “No worries.” If possible, Ross’ face fell even more.

“I shouldn’t expect something else when I’m dealing with Tony Stark.” Ross muttered darkly. “Now let us come to the point. There will be an attack and you’re sure of that. Which is also why the Avengers will be at the piece conference. I would just like to know how you got this information. Because we’ve been looking for possible threats concerning this meeting for months now and there wasn’t anything. Not even a single letter.”

“You have to promise that you won’t tell anyone what you get to know now.” Steve said sternly.

Ross raised his eyebrows. “Why should I do that?”

“It’s Avengers business, not government.” Steve replied shortly.

“And what the Avengers are doing isn’t important to the government?”

“That’s not what I said.” Steve threw in.

“He just wants to say that it would be unpleasant if the whole world gets to know what we’re about to tell you.” Tony said quickly. “Because then certain people could be alerted and our entire mission would fail. Which would have unpredictable consequences for world piece.” Tony smiled at Ross. “And I’m sure you wouldn’t want that, do you?”

Ross stared at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he hesitated. “Alright.” He said finally. “I promise not to tell anyone. If it’s not important to us.”

Tony exchanged a look with Steve. This concession wasn’t good enough for him, Tony saw that. He would never risk Bucky’s safety, not even for the help of Ross and his team.

“I can lead you to Klaue and the Vibranium.” Tony said loudly and turned to Ross again. “If you promise not to tell anyone about our story, no matter what happens.” From the corner of his eyes, he could see the surprise on Steve’s face.

Ross’ eyes widened slightly. “You… what?” He put his hands on his hips. “Is this an attempt to bribe me, Mr. Stark?”

Tony shrugged. “Depends. Does it work?”

“Yes, it does.” Ross muttered. “Do you know how long we’ve been trying to get him without success?”

“I bet for a long time.” Tony assumed.

Ross nodded.

“So we have a deal?” Tony asked with a grin.

“Seems like we do.” Ross agreed and they shook hands.

Two hours later, the Avengers had all the help from Everett Ross and his team they needed. There were plans of the conference, the building, who would be invited and when the people would arrive. Most importantly the plans of the delegation from Wakanda, led by the king T’Chaka and his son T’Challa.

They would arrive a day before the conference started since they also had an appointment with Ross. He had contacted them some time ago and asked if they could speak about Wakanda. He didn’t tell them the real reason for the conversation, but they had agreed either way. Ross wanted to find out more about Vibranium and why it was so closely linked to Wakanda. 

Tony already suspected that it could be found there and that’s why Klaue always tried to go to Wakanda. Maybe he even had contacts within the country. And Tony couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was a connection between the legends of the guardian of Wakanda and the Vibranium. It was an interesting country. He would have to look at their files before the conference too. Maybe it would even make his promise to Ross easier.

In the afternoon, he was alone with Steve in the lab. Ross had left some time ago.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Steve said now.

Tony looked up from the papers in front of him. “What do you mean?”

“Making him promise not to tell anyone about Bucky. Now you have to find Klaue as well, next to everything else that’s going on.”

“I knew that this is important to you.” Tony said simply. “And don’t worry about me, I can live without much sleep.”

Steve didn’t look convinced, but his lips twitched. “Thank you, Tony.”

He held up his hand. “You can thank me when everything works out.” He pointed at a sheet of paper. “This is the timetable of the meeting. Apparently, we’ll also speak in front of those people.”

“We will?” Steve sounded surprised and grabbed the paper. “Was this planned?”

Tony shook his head. “Seemed like the only way Ross could get us in without receiving too many questions.”

“So who’ll speak?” Steve asked.

Tony laughed. “I won’t talk on a piece conference! You know that it’s not my area of expertise.”

Steve groaned. “I’ll have to do it?”

“Seems so. But Captain America shouldn’t have problems with a little speech?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t even know what to say.”

Tony shrugged. “Maybe the others can help you once they get back. Or we can ask Pepper, she always knows what to say.”

“Do I?” A voice asked and they both turned around to see Pepper standing in front of the elevator. Her arms were crossed and she raised her eyebrows at them.

“Yes, you do.” Tony said and stood up from his chair. He kissed her on the cheek.

“So why are you talking about me? And how was your meeting?” She asked and sat down on Tony’s chair.

“It went well.” Tony answered. “And the Avengers will make a speech on a piece conference. We were just thinking of what to say.”

“ _I_ will make that speech.” Steve emphasized. “And I’ve already got an idea. I just need to think of it some more.” 

“You’ve still got a few weeks.” Tony grinned. “And we can help you with it.”

“As if you would be a big help.” Steve muttered.

Tony turned to Pepper and looked at her questioningly. “What are you even doing here? I thought we wanted to have dinner later.”

“We do, but you’ve got a visitor.” She explained. “I just came down here to tell you.”

“Couldn’t JARVIS have done that?” he asked curiously.

“I wanted to see you. Because I thought that you might not make it to dinner, once you know who it is.” Pepper’s lips twitched.

“Now I’m curious.” Tony said. “Who is it?”

“It’s Peter.” Pepper explained. “He said something about his aunt being angry at him because of all the bruises he had after your training session last week. And that the new suit is perfect. Oh, and something about villains who want to steal weapons.”

At the last sentence, Tony raised his eyebrows. “I’ve got to go.” He announced. “Thanks for telling me all this.” He kissed her passionately, before he turned to Steve. “Seems like you’ll have to look at those alone for now. Or we’ll just continue tomorrow. The kid seems to be in trouble. JARVIS?”

“ _The suit is ready, Sir._ ” JARVIS told him. 

“Good.” Tony grabbed the new reactor which contained his suit. “I’ll see you later.”

On his way to the elevator, he heard Steve’s whisper behind him.

“He really likes that kid, doesn’t he?”

“He does.” Pepper agreed. “Sometimes, it’s like he’s his own son.”

“And what do you think?”

“I like him too. He’s sweet. And he makes Tony happy.”

With a smile on his face, Tony left the lab.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Take the black suit, that will look more seriously.” Pepper suggested. “And not the red shirt, even if I like that. A white one. But you could take the blue tie…” She looked at him thoughtfully. “I think that would look great. Or the red tie, since you won’t wear that shirt.”

Tony watched her sceptically. “By now, you should know that I wear whatever suit I want, Pep.”

“But this is a peace conference, Tony. Not just one of your normal public appearances.” She explained again.

“Yes, and we’re not there to have fun.” He threw in. “We’ll be on a mission.”

“No one knows that.” Pepper argued. “So you should look representable. I’m sure the others will also wear black suits. And you should see Natasha’s dress, in a dark blue. It’s beautiful.”

“Actually, she decided not to wear it just yesterday.” Tony informed her. “Really disadvantageous in a fight.” He grimaced. “We could all imagine that too well. Instead, she bought a trouser suit.”

Pepper sighed. “What a shame. I think she could fight in that dress as well.”

“She can, but we’re dealing with Bucky. And he’s dangerous.” Tony ran a hand through his hair.

“Maybe you should also leave out your sunglasses.” Pepper said suddenly.

“What?” Tony stared at her. “No way. I need them.”

“It’s a formal event, Tony. And you’re official representatives of world peace.”

“Steve will hold that speech, not me.” He held up his hands. “And I need them, in case JARVIS finds something.” He emphasized every word.

She sighed. “It was just an idea.” Pepper gave in.

He raised his eyebrows. “Why do you even care for my appearance so much? Normally, you leave those things to me.”

Pepper shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just nervous.” She smiled weakly and Tony gestured for her to sit down next to him on the bed. When she did, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Why are you nervous?” He asked softly.

“This whole conference and then the threat of Bucky… You’ve never dealt with that before. Something could go wrong.”

“We know that. That’s why I invited Everett Ross to the tower. And we’ll be in Vienna a few days before the conference, so we can have a look at the building before everything starts. We’ll make a plan with Ross’ team and we will also try to talk to T’Chaka, the king of Wakanda. Ross insists that we have to warn him.”

“You, talking to a king?” Pepper asked sceptically. “I can’t picture that.”

“Steve and I will talk to him together.” Tony corrected her. “Though we don’t have much hope that he’ll listen to us.”

“Why?”

“Last time I talked to Ross, he said that T’Chaka doesn’t want to talk to the Avengers.” Tony muttered. “Something about they shouldn’t get involved in Wakanda’s business.”

“Can you blame him?” Pepper asked. “From what you’ve told me, I think that Wakanda’s a very isolated country and they want to keep it that way.” She smiled slightly. “And the Avengers have the habit of attracting chaos.”

“That’s not true!” He argued immediately. “We’re not attracting it, we prevent it.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded. “I hope that everything will work out. It’s time that you find Bucky. It weighs heavily on all of you. Mostly on Steve.”

Tony nodded. “He still hopes that Bucky will recognize him.”

“And what do you think?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “We have to be prepared for everything.” He said finally.

“You are. The past weeks, you didn’t do anything except planning your strategy.” Pepper hasn’t been happy about that since Tony didn’t have much time for her. However, she understood that it was necessary.

“And we were still discussing Alaska.” He threw in.

“You said that you talked about the things Natasha, Clint and Sam found out only once.” She raised her eyebrows. Nat and the others have watched the base for nearly two weeks and now they knew what was going on there. Or at least parts of it.

“We did. But in that time, we didn’t talk about Vienna. And I fixed and improved all our equipment.”

“Now you sound worried.” Pepper noticed.

“I’m not.” He shook his head. “Honestly, I can’t wait for this conference to be over.”

Pepper sighed. “The conference is in a week and you’ll already leave tomorrow. So you don’t have to wait long anymore.”

“I’ll miss you.” Tony changed the subject. “Not seeing you for a whole week will be exhausting.”

“You will be busy. I doubt that you’ll even notice my absence.” Pepper argued.

“I’ll always notice when you’re not with me. After all, without you a part of me is missing.” Tony said softly and smiled at her. “I love you, Pep.”

She smiled back at him. “I love you too.”

They kissed each other. “You know, we can keep talking about your mission and everything that goes along with it, but maybe there’s a better way to use our last evening together…” Pepper whispered in a seductive tone and Tony grinned.

“Come here.” He whispered and pulled her close.

* * *

“I could position myself on that rooftop.” Sam said and pointed to the right. “From there, I can see everything that happens in the yard, the windows of the conference room and the other rooftops.”

“You think that he might attack from above?” Steve asked thoughtfully.

Sam nodded. “From over there, he has a good look at the conference room and he’s right behind the person who speaks.”

“Would make shooting easy.” Tony muttered. “Good idea.”

“Then I’ll take that rooftop.” Clint decided. “When I’m up there, he might not try to shoot from there.”

“So Falcon over there and Legolas will take that rooftop…” Tony muttered thoughtfully. “Do you want to be up there as well, Point Break?” He turned to Thor.

“Inside that building, I’m not of much use.” The god of thunder decided. “I will stay up there and watch the other side.”

“That will leave the four of us.” Steve said and looked at Tony, Natasha and Bruce.

“One of us should stay in the hallway.” Natasha suggested. “If he tries to get in that way.”

“Tony and I will be needed in the conference room.” Steve muttered. “They would notice our absence.”

“And don’t forget that you’ll make that speech.” Tony added with a grin.

Steve sighed. “Right.” He said simply and raised his eyebrows. “Do you want to stay outside, Natasha?”

She nodded. “And then Bruce stays in the recording room.”

Bruce looked relieved. “Let us hope that the other guy won’t show himself here. I don’t want to be responsible for a crashed peace conference.”

“Everything will be alright.” Natasha placed a hand on Bruce’s arm and they smiled at each other. Somehow, their new kind of relationship was still strange to Tony.

“So that’s settled.” Steve said loudly. “When will we meet Ross again?”

Tony looked at his watch. “In ten minutes. Our timing’s perfect.“ He explained and grinned. “Let’s go inside.”

It was the fourth day after their arrival at Vienna and the conference would be the following day. The past days, they spent looking at all the buildings. Now their plan was finished. Ross’ men would help them as good as possible. There were cameras everywhere, which would be watched by Bruce. And of course the Avengers would all stay in contact with each other, so they could act fast.

Under her suit, Natasha would wear her gear, just like Steve (Tony had made him a special suit for this occasion that was light and solid). Unfortunately, Steve couldn’t take the shield into the conference room. It would stay with Sam on a rooftop. Of course Tony would have the reactor on his chest. Since Clint, Thor and Sam wouldn’t attend the conference, they didn’t have to wear something formal.

The meeting with Ross would take place in a small office. They’ve talked there before, but this time all the Avengers would be there. Before, it have always been just Tony and Steve. This was the last chance to discuss the plan and now everyone should be there.

Tony entered the room first and stopped in surprise when he saw that Everett Ross wasn’t alone. Next to him sat T’Challa, son of the king of Wakanda.

“Ah, there you are.” Ross greeted them when they had all entered the room. “May I introduce our guest? This is T’Challa, the prince of Wakanda. I invited him to our small meeting after my conversation with him and his father this morning.”

“It is an honour to finally meet the Avengers.” T’Challa said with a smile and they all greeted him as well. However, T’Challa became serious again very fast. “Mr Ross told me that you have doubts concerning the safety of my father during the piece conference?”

Tony exchanged a look with Steve and the other Avengers. He noticed that they all looked determined. “This is a long story.” Steve said with a nod.

“I thought that I should let you explain everything.” Ross told them with a smile that Tony knew was faked.

“Alright.” Steve said after a long moment of silence. “I will try to explain it as best as I can.”

In the end, he didn’t tell T’Challa the whole story. For example, he didn’t mention that they knew the assassin and that he’s been Steve’s best friend once. Steve also didn’t tell T’Challa how exactly they found out about the possible attack.

While Steve told the story, Ross just watched him in silence. He didn’t say anything, even if he knew that Steve left out important parts. After all, they’d told him more of the truth than T’Challa. Tony was glad that Ross kept his promise. On the other hand, he didn’t have a choice. Tony found Klaue and the Vibranium for him weeks ago.

When Steve finished, T’Challa looked at them thoughtfully for a long time. “My father didn’t want to hear my concerns about his safety.” He said in the end. “But now that I’ve heard your story, I will try to talk to him again. Even if I doubt that he will cancel his speech.”

“Thank you.” Steve said with a small smile. “We will do everything to make sure that he stays safe.”

T’Challa smiled back at him gratefully. “I want to help you.” He said seriously. “I can fight as well, I’ve been trained for years.”

Tony exchanged another look with Steve. In his friend’s eyes he saw the same surprise he felt. When Steve hinted a nod, Tony glanced at the others. They were all looking thoughtful. Tony turned to T’Challa again and smiled slightly. “Well, three eyes in the conference room will be better than two.”

* * *

“How was my speech?” Steve whispered once he sat down next to Tony again.

Tony smiled slightly. “Even more impressing than when you held it in the tower.” He muttered.

“I didn’t make any mistakes?”

“No. And you impressed all of them.” Everyone in the room has clapped loudly after Steve finished. He’d talked of many things, especially the mission of the Avengers to make the world a safer place. And that everyone was able to help if he or she just kept looking around attentively. When he stood there in front of the crowd, he wasn’t Steve anymore. It was Captain America who spoke. Everyone could sense that.

Between Steve and T’Chaka, two other people would talk. Tony didn’t really listen to them. He kept looking around carefully and kept listening to the comments of the others. Until now, no one saw something noticeable. Tony saw that T’Challa was also scanning the crowd, a concentrated look on his face. He could hear the others as well, Tony had given him a pair of earphones. Today, T’Challa was part of the Avengers. Tony would never admit it, but he liked him. Even if it still bothered him that Wakanda had so many secrets.

Finally, T’Chaka stood in front of them to speak. Next to Tony, Steve tensed and he put on his sunglasses carefully, hoping that no one would notice. At a piece conference, this could be seen as highly impolite. He let JARVIS scan their surroundings. A glance at Steve told him that his friend was watching him now expectantly. Tony shook his head, telling Steve that JARVIS didn’t find anything yet.

Halfway through T’Chaka’s speech, when Tony nearly couldn’t stand it anymore, something happened.

“ _There’s someone walking towards the yard._ ” Sam said. 

“ _I can see him too._ ” Thor agreed. 

“ _I can’t. The trees are hiding him from me._ ” Clint threw in. “ _On my rooftop, everything’s calm._ ” 

“ _He looks like a security guard._ ” Sam explained. “ _But something bothers me about him._ ” 

“ _What is it? I’m on my way towards the entrance door._ ” Natasha said. 

“ _I didn’t see him coming. And it’s like he avoids looking directly into a camera. As if he knows where they are. I think he’s wearing a mask._ ” Bruce sounded troubled.

“ _He’s holding something in his hand._ ” Thor muttered darkly. “ _Can anyone see what it is?_ ” 

Tony and Steve listened to the conversation silently, not able to say anything in the crowded room without being noticed. A man coming from the yard? The conference room was on the first floor of the building, so what could he do from down there? Or was this really just a normal security guard?

Tony glanced at Steve and saw a tensed look on his face.

“ _I’m nearly at the door now._ ” Natasha announced. “ _Then I’ll be directly in front of him._ ” 

“ _Guys, I think he’s holding a grenade or something like that._ ” Bruce said suddenly, sounding alarmed. “ _We have to stop him!_ ” 

“ _On it!_ ” Sam and Thor said at the same time. However, they were already too late. 

“ _Tony, Steve, he’s throwing it!_ ” Natasha shouted suddenly. “ _Watch out!_ ” 

In front of them, T’Chaka was still talking, unaware of the threat outside. Tony reacted immediately. He jumped to his feet and Steve did the same next him. From the corner of his eyes, Tony saw T’Challa standing as well. However, he was too far away, while Tony and Steve sat in the first row. All around them, people began to whisper nervously and T’Chaka interrupted his speech.

While running towards T’Chaka, Tony activated his suit. Then the window burst and a small object fell into the room, right in front of T’Chaka’s feet. “Everyone get down!” Tony heard Steve shout. “Sam, the shield! Just throw it!” In this moment, Tony really hoped that Steve’s gauntlets worked and the shield would come to him.

Tony pushed T’Chaka away from the grenade (he would apologize later) and scanned it quickly. Deactivation wouldn’t work, so he did the only thing he could think of at the moment. “Get away from the yard outside!” He shouted and hoped that the others would be able to run away fast enough. He threw it out of the window again. Or that’s at least what he wanted to do.

It exploded mid-air when it nearly reached the window. Tony was just able to position himself between the explosion and a few people and to activate a shield when the pressure wave hit them. Parts of the wall were crashing down and they were lucky that they were already on the top floor of the building.

After that, everything was a blur. People were screaming, there was dust in the air and Tony wasn’t able to see anything. Suddenly, the dust just vanished. Thor was standing at the edge of the building, a grim expression on his face. Tony looked around to see many people lying on the ground, while others were running out of the building. Steve was kneeling above T’Chaka, the shield in his hands. T’Challa was running towards his father, a concerned look on his face. However, it seemed as if T’Chaka was alright.

“ _I can see him, he’s running away!_ ” Sam’s voice said suddenly and Steve stood up again. For a moment, he looked at Tony, before he nodded. 

“Let’s get him.” Tony muttered.

* * *

Tony couldn’t deny one thing. Bucky was fast. Somehow, he’s been able to get a motorbike and now he was trying to escape from them. Luckily, Tony and Sam could fly, while Thor just jumped from building to building as if it was nothing. Steve had also stolen a motorcycle. Natasha, Bruce and Clint had stayed behind to take care of the injured and to make sure that there wouldn’t be another attack. Most probably, T’Challa was still with his father.

“ _There he is_!” Sam pointed at a small figure under them. “ _And Steve’s right behind him_!”

“Then let’s go.” Tony said and changed the direction. Just before they could reach Bucky, he jumped from his motorbike and landed on the ground. Steve wasn’t able to react fast enough, which was why he stopped too late. When Tony arrived on the ground, Bucky was already running away again. They were on a public street now and the traffic was making everything even more difficult. 

They were already chasing Bucky again, when there was a muffled scream in front of them. Tony, Steve and Sam stopped and stared at the scene. Tony barely noticed that Thor landed next to them, swinging Mjolnir.

The attacker was lying on the ground, someone had shot his leg, making him unable to move. And another person was standing above him, gun in hand. The man was clad in black and wore a mask.

For a few moments, they all stood there motionlessly. Then the man took off his mask.

Steve gasped. “Bucky?!?”

In front of them stood Bucky Barnes, his gun pointing at the attacker on the ground. There was a grim look on his face, but he smiled slightly when he turned to Steve and the others.

“Hey Steve.” Bucky greeted him.

But who was the man on the ground when Bucky has helped them to catch him?


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

For a few seconds, they all stared at each other. In the end, it was Tony who broke the silence. “Two questions.” He said slowly and held up his hand. “First, how are you here? If I’m correct, we were chasing you.” He pointed at Bucky. “Second, when you’re here, who’s our friend on the ground?”

They all turned to the still masked figure lying on the ground in front of them. Tony barely noticed that all around them, chaos was breaking out. After all, they were standing in the middle of a street. All around them, cars were stopping or trying to get away. And most probably, someone had already recognized the Avengers, which shouldn’t be difficult. Tony hoped that Ross and his team would be there soon to get the civilians out of the way.

“It’s a long story.” Bucky said hesitantly. Tony noticed that his shoulders were tense and there was a guarded look on his face. He seemed to fear that the Avengers might attack him every moment.

“Maybe we should talk somewhere else.” Steve suggested. He was still looking at Bucky with a strange expression on his face. It was a mixture of fear, relief and happiness.

“ _Would someone tell us what’s going on?_ ” Clint’s voice sounded in their ears. 

“Long story. You’ll see once we get back.” Tony said when he realized that Steve and the others wouldn’t answer. Sam was looking from Steve to Bucky and back, while Thor just stared at Bucky and the other man in confusion. “Can you find us a room to talk? And tell Ross to come too. And T’Challa. How’s his father, by the way?”

“ _Injured, it doesn’t look good. We’ll find somewhere to talk and Ross is with us. His team is already on it’s way to you._ ” Natasha explained. 

“A car would be good.” Tony muttered and began to walk towards Bucky and the figure on the ground slowly. “I assume you’re on our side? Then I’ll take care of our friend there now. We don’t want him to bleed out before we can talk to him, right?” He held up his hands to show Bucky that he didn’t want to harm him. After all, he still had the gun in his hand. And his crazy metal arm also looked like it could crush something in an instant.

Bucky looked from Tony to Steve with a frown on his face.

“It’s alright, Bucky.” Steve was walking towards him now too. Tony noticed that he was holding the shield tight, maybe expecting a trap?

Slowly, Bucky relaxed but he didn’t lower the gun. “I know who he is. Be careful, he’s still dangerous.” He explained when Tony wanted to kneel down next to the man. To his surprise, the wound had already stopped bleeding. “We should tie him up.”

“I’ve got a better idea.” Before anyone could stop him, Thor had hit the man on the head with his hammer. When he saw the reproachful looks of the others, he just shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“Asgardians…” Tony muttered, but was interrupted when a black van stopped next to them. The door opened, just to reveal two of Ross’ men they already met earlier. “Good timing.” Tony greeted them. “We need something to immobilize him. And a place to talk, preferably somewhere he can’t escape.”

The men nodded and Tony turned back to Steve and Bucky. They were still looking at each other with those insecure looks on their faces. “You helped us.” Tony stated.

Bucky nodded. “Back in Canada, you gave me quite a headache. But in the end, I remembered everything. Including you, Steve.” At the last words, he looked at his former best friend.

“Wait, are we just considering taking him with us? Without security measures?” Sam threw in. “You may not remember what happened last time we saw him, but I do.” He looked at Steve. “He might still be dangerous.”

“But he remembers everything.” Steve noted slowly, the insecurity in his voice obvious. Apparently, he was just as overwhelmed by this turn of events as all of them.

“Then he should understand why we don’t trust him.” Sam crossed his arms and looked at Bucky suspiciously. “He could be acting.”

“I can assure you that it’s not the case.” Bucky said in such a tone that even Tony nearly believed him.

“Hydra can turn you back into the Winter Soldier anytime.” Sam argued. “You’re a safety risk.”

“We can’t just let him leave, though.” Steve said suddenly. “He knows who our attacker is. And maybe Bucky also knows something about Hydra’s plans.” He took a deep breath. “And I trust you.” For a few moments, they looked into each other’s eyes. Then, Bucky’s lips twitched.

“Thank you, Steve.”

“I don’t want to ruin your moment, but we should leave.” Tony threw in. “The others are already waiting for us.”

“When he’s driving in the van with you, I’ll fly.” Sam decided.

“Sam –“ Steve began, but he shook his head.

“Let’s talk about that later.” Without another word, Sam flew away, back towards the now partially destroyed buildings.

Steve turned to Tony. “Do you also think that it’s a mistake to trust him?” He asked quietly, so that the others couldn’t hear it.

Tony hesitated. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what to make of this whole situation. Yes, Bucky seemed to remember everything. But did he really, or was it just an act? Maybe a longer conversation with him would show it. “We don’t have a choice.” He said in the end. “Let’s just hear what he has to say.”

There was a relieved smile on Steve’s lips, but Tony couldn’t smile back.

* * *

“His name’s Craig, I don’t know his last name.” Bucky began. “He was part of a program similar to the one I was placed in. A program to make soldiers that are stronger, faster and more determined than all the others. And who never disregard an order.” He laughed without humour. “Didn’t quite work on me, though. With him, it did. I think he’s the only one who survived. Not that I can remember everything I heard… back then, but parts of it. They reactivated him once they realized they’ve lost me.” He glanced at Steve. “Back when Hydra took over SHIELD.”

“And then they set him up to kill the king of Wakanda on a piece conference? Risky plan, isn’t it?” Everett Ross threw in with raised eyebrows and crossed arms. They were all sitting in a small conference room together. The attacker, Craig, has been locked into a room in the basement. Thor was guarding him and listened to this conversation over the headphones. Additionally, Tony had made sure that it would be impossible to leave the room from the inside.

“Not for them.” This time, Natasha was talking. “You don’t know what he was capable of before he got his senses back.” She pointed at Bucky. “I met him on a mission once and it wasn’t nice.”

Bucky looked at his hands on the table when everyone stared at him. They’d decided not to tie him up. Steve had insisted that they could trust Bucky. When no one wanted to listen to him, Tony had thrown in that he wouldn’t be able to do anything in a room full of Avengers. Steve had his shield, Clint and Natasha their weapons, Sam was carrying a gun and Tony could just summon his suit from the reactor. They only had to make sure that the other guy wouldn’t show himself, they didn’t want to destroy even more buildings.

“So let’s say that it’s possible. Let’s pretend that he could have really succeeded in his task, why should he do it?” Ross looked at all of them questioningly. In the end, he stopped at Bucky. After looking at T’Challa, who was sitting next to him, for a few more moments.

No one had argued when the prince of Wakanda wanted to join their discussion. After all, the target of the attack has been his father. And from what he told them, it wasn’t looking good. Most probably, T’Chaka wouldn’t survive the day. The doctors were doing everything they could. T’Challa had insisted on bringing his father back to Wakanda (only Tony knew that the medicine there was even better than in Europe), but most probably, he wouldn’t survive the transport.

Slowly, Bucky looked up again. “I don’t know.” He said and it sounded honest. “Normally, they don’t tell us the reasons for anything. Just what has to be done.”

“If I’d have to guess, I’d say Vibranium.” Tony threw in. T’Challa turned abruptly and stared at him. Tony grinned, knowing that their presumptions of the previous weeks were right.

“How do you know about that?” T’Challa looked at Ross questioningly.

Ross held up his hands. “I didn’t tell them anything.” He defended himself. “They already knew about that. Not a surprise, though, when you consider who’s sitting in front of you.”

T’Challa turned to Tony again, this time he looked curious. “I bet my sister would like you…” He muttered and cleared his throat. “Yes, the Vibranium could be the main reason.”

“Strongest metal in the world.” Steve nodded and glanced at his shield. T’Challa noticed it and followed his gaze.

“And many people who want to take it from us.” T’Challa agreed. “Normally, I would never talk about this. But it seems like you all already know about the Vibranium in Wakanda.”

“Your country is not as poor as it pretends to be.” Tony said. “And your technology is highly interesting. Especially your security measures.”

T’Challa ignored his comment. “I’ve heard you know how to find Klaue?” He asked Ross.

Everett nodded. “Someone gave us a lead.” He replied without looking at Tony. However, T’Challa glanced at him again, a knowing smile on his lips.

“Do you think he’s working for Hydra?” Clint asked curiously.

“I think he works for himself and no one else.” T’Challa explained. “But you can never be sure when it’s about people like him.”

“So what are we going to do now?” Natasha asked.

“We’ll talk to Craig once he wakes up.” Steve decided immediately. “We have to find out if Hydra plans more attacks on Wakanda.”

“If it’s possible, I’d like to join that conversation.” T’Challa threw in. “After all, he’s attacked my father.”

“Of course.” Steve nodded. “We shouldn’t all talk to him. Maybe just Agent Ross, Tony, T’Challa and me.” He looked at Bucky. “I don’t think that it’s a good idea for you to see him.”

Bucky didn’t look happy, but he remained silent.

“Once we find out more about the threat to my country, I don’t think that Wakanda will need further help from the Avengers.” T’Challa said now. “We appreciate it, but we can look after ourselves. And I think you also have other duties than to help a small country deal with thieves.”

“When you need our help, you just have to call.” Steve said sternly. “We won’t leave you alone with this.”

“Thank you.” T’Challa said and bowed his head.

* * *

“I’ve been thinking.” Tony said to Steve once the meeting was over. “I want to run some tests on Bucky once we’re back in New York. Maybe I can find out if Hydra can still manipulate his brain.”

“And I will help Tony with it.” Bruce added.

“Then we can be sure if it’s safe to trust him.” Tony smiled slightly.

Steve stared at them. “You want to let him go to New York with us?”

Tony nodded. “I know how important this is to you. And even if I don’t like to admit this, I think Bucky means it when he says that he’s sorry for everything that happened in the past.” Before Steve could say anything else, Tony held up his hand. “Doesn’t mean I trust him now completely. There’s still a chance that he’s just acting.”

Steve sighed. “I don’t think so. This is the Bucky I know, my friend. It was different when he was under Hydra’s control.”

“It’s just normal that you want to believe this, Steve.” Bruce explained. “After everything that happened, you still see him as your best friend and nothing else.”

“I know that you all don’t trust him.” Steve muttered.

“Don’t you think that it’s strange that he just shows up here when we’re chasing the attacker? Why didn’t he contact you sooner?” Bruce asked. “I would have done that in his position.”

“Maybe he doesn’t trust us as well.” Steve said. “Bucky hinted something when we talked, right before the meeting. That he wasn’t sure if you’d just lock him up.”

“Justified fear.” Tony muttered. “Of course we would have let him out once we made sure that he’s himself again.” He added hastily when he saw the reproachful look on Steve’s face. “We can’t take any risks, Steve. He could hurt someone.” He had to make sure that it was safe to let Bucky stay in the tower right after their arrival. After all, Pepper was there and he couldn’t risk her safety.

“I know.” Steve ran a hand through his hair. “I really do. And this whole situation…” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to deal with it.”

“We’ll do that together.” Tony assured him.

They heard footsteps and then Natasha joined them. Bucky was with Clint and Sam, they’ve decided not to let him alone.

“Hey guys, Ross wants to know if you’re ready for the interrogation now. Thor said that Craig woke up some time ago.” She was smiling, but her shoulders were tense. She didn’t like the situation as well.

“Of course, let’s go.” Steve said immediately. “Where’s Bucky?”

“Waiting outside with Clint and Sam. They’re all staring at each other awkwardly. Well, Clint and Bucky are. If looks could kill, Bucky wouldn’t stand a chance against Sam.” Natasha frowned. “He’s worried that Bucky will hurt you again, Steve. You should talk to Sam soon.”

Steve sighed. “I’ll do that after the interrogation.” He decided.

“What are we doing with our friend, by the way?” Tony asked. “We can’t take a Hydra super soldier with us to New York.”

“Ross offered to take him.” Natasha told them. “There’s a prison not too far from here, they can lock him up there.”

“What about SHIELD?” Bruce asked. “When he’s working for Hydra, they might be interested in talking to him.”

“SHIELD can also do that here in Europe.” Tony threw in. “It would be too dangerous to move him.”

“Bucky said that as well.” Steve agreed. He exchanged a look with Tony. Maybe it was time to talk to the new director of SHIELD, even if they’d agreed to do that later. But who else could they inform about this? Maria Hill and her team were on a mission and no one knew when they would return. And who else was in the tower? No one who could decide something this big.

“We can inform SHIELD once we’re back in New York.” Tony said. “Ross can lock him up until something new is decided. I think that’s the safest way to deal with everything.”

When they left the building, they saw Sam, Clint and Bucky standing close to the door in silence. When he saw them, Sam waved. “I’ve been thinking.” He said and Steve sighed.

“You too?”

Sam raised his eyebrows in confusion and Tony grinned, but Steve just shook his head. “Forget it, what did you want to say?”

“In the past weeks, I’ve been looking at those Hydra files.” He told them and glanced at Bucky. “The ones about the Winter Soldier.”

Now Bucky’s eyes widened slightly. “You have files about me?”

Tony nodded. “Top secret, wasn’t easy to get them.” He confirmed.

“Well, the point is that there was something about other soldiers.” Sam continued. “They just didn’t specify anything, because the files were just about him.” He looked at Bucky.

“JARVIS?” Tony asked into his phone. “Can you find out more about the others?”

“ _Of course, Sir. The files should not be too hard to find. They are connected to the ones about the Winter Soldier._ ” JARVIS’ voice answered. 

Tony nodded. “Good. So that’s settled. Maybe the attacker can also tell us something. If he will talk.”

“I doubt it.” Bucky said slowly.

“We have to try either way.” Steve said.

“But be careful.” Did Tony just imagine it, or did Bucky look worried?

“We always are.” Steve smiled before he turned around to walk away with Tony.

Tony thought that he heard Natasha whisper ‘liar’ behind their backs, but he wasn’t sure.


	58. Chapter 58

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Let me start with a simple question.” Everett Ross started the interrogation. “Why did you try to kill the king of Wakanda?” They were sitting in a small room across from Craig, who was bound to a chair. The only other thing that separated them from him was the large white table. Next to Tony, Steve, T’Challa and Ross, no one was in the room. The others were waiting outside, together with a few members of Ross’ team, listening to their conversation.

Tony was surprised to see that Ross was completely relaxed. Or at least he seemed to be. Next to him, Steve was keeping a hand close to his shield that stood on the floor. T’Challa was touching some kind of necklace he was wearing from time to time. Tony kept his hands on the table, trying not to move too much. He didn’t want to seem nervous in front of this man.

Because his appearance could make you nervous. Short, blond hair, piercing grey eyes and white skin. And then there was the hateful expression on his face, as if he would like nothing more than to kill them all in an instant. Tony hoped that the chains would hold him, he wasn’t eager to fight against this man.

Instead of answering the question, Craig only stared at Ross. “Alright, so you won’t answer this question.” Ross said simply and made a note on his tablet. “But king T’Chaka was the target of your mission?”

Again, no answer. Ross made another note and smiled, though Tony didn’t know why. But sometimes, Everett Ross just smiled instead of showing his frustration, maybe this was also happening now. Tony knew that he shouldn’t underestimate him. If he wouldn’t be good, Ross would have never come this far with his career.

“Maybe we should start again with a new question. This time even easier to answer.” Ross looked at Craig calmly. “What’s your name? I already see that you won’t answer this, so let me do it for you. Your name is Craig and you’re working for Hydra.”

If Tony wouldn’t have looked at him closely, he wouldn’t have noticed that Craig’s eyes narrowed slightly when Ross mentioned his name and Hydra. Ross seemed to notice it too, he leaned back on his chair with a wide smile. “So it’s true.” He muttered. “We’re already trying to find out more about you. And your missions. So don’t worry, we’ll know everything soon either way.” 

At those words, Tony glanced at his phone. JARVIS was just decoding more Hydra files. Ross knew about this and it seemed like they both hoped that they could look into those before the interrogation was over. Maybe they could make Craig talk when they confronted him with information about his past.

“There’s one thing I don’t understand.” Steve said suddenly. “You tried to kill the king of Wakanda here, on a piece conference in Vienna. Even if you could have done that somewhere else as well. And it would have been even easier than today since the security measures here are so high.”

“Maybe he wants to set a sign?” Tony suggested. “Showing the world that Hydra can even kill important people on heavily guarded conferences?”

“Or it was their only chance to get to the king.” Ross looked at T’Challa thoughtfully. “It’s not easy to enter Wakanda.”

T’Challa nodded slowly, he was still frowning at Craig. “He would have never been able to lay a hand on my father in Wakanda.” He confirmed.

“He walked past us without being noticed. He’s very good.” Tony threw in. “Maybe he could have also gotten into your country?”

“It is not possible.” T’Challa repeated simply.

“In your position, I would believe him.” Ross said with a slight smile. “He knows what he’s talking about.”

Tony wondered how much Ross knew about Wakanda and if he’s ever been there, but he didn’t get a chance to ask this question. Steve already continued to talk.

“Bucky was right, he won’t tell us anything.” He sighed. “Maybe we should just stop this, seems to be a waste of time.”

When Steve mentioned Bucky, Craig looked at him attentively. Tony was the first to notice it.

“Steve, I think he knows your friend.” He said slowly and now everyone was looking at Craig again.

“You know Bucky?” Steve asked and raised his eyebrows.

Suddenly, Craig began to laugh. “The Winter Soldier.” He spat and his smile looked more like a grimace. “We were five once. Now we are just two. And he’s as good as dead, now that he’s betrayed Hydra. That’s why I took his position.” He was laughing again and Tony exchanged a look with the others. Apparently, he could talk, even if he said just unimportant things. However, Tony saw that Steve’s mind was racing, most probably because of the threat towards Bucky. 

“And king T’Chaka was your target.” Ross repeated. “You tried to kill him.”

“I didn’t try.” Craig corrected. “I did.” His eyes focused on T’Challa. “Your father is dead, isn’t he? I killed him.”

T’Challa looked at Craig with a blank expression on his face and he clenched his fists on the table. He didn’t answer the question, but in this moment, Tony knew that it was true. King T’Chaka of Wakanda was dead. Killed by an agent of Hydra on a piece conference, on one of the rare occasions he left his country.

“Why did they order you to kill him?” Ross asked, making Craig look away from T’Challa. “Why is Hydra interested in Wakanda?”

“I killed his father.” Craig repeated and ignored Ross. Now he was looking at Tony. “Just like I killed your parents.”

It took him a moment to realize the meaning of those words. “Wait, what?” It was all Tony could manage in this moment. He stared at Craig. At the same time, he felt the looks of the other three on him. When he glanced to the left, he saw Steve’s worried face. “It was a car accident. No one killed them.”

“That’s what everyone should believe.” Craig grinned. “I killed them both. For Hydra.”

Suddenly, Tony felt Steve’s hand on his arm. Somehow, the small gesture helped to keep him grounded in this moment. What Craig just said couldn’t be true. No one killed his parents, it was an accident. Of course there have been policemen who thought that this could have also been an attack, but no one listened to them. Not when it was so obvious that it had been an accident. Bad luck, nothing more. Not crazy Hydra super soldiers who got an order to kill Howard Stark and his wife.

“Your father was a threat to Hydra.” Craig continued. “Just like everyone around him.”

Tony still felt like he couldn’t move. He kept staring at Craig and tried to keep his breathing in control. This couldn’t be true. He refused to believe him. “I don’t believe you.” He muttered.

“Don’t listen to him, Tony.” Steve whispered. “He only wants to manipulate you. That’s how it works with them.”

“He tries to provoke us.” T’Challa agreed. “We should stop this. He can’t tell us anything.”

Ross nodded. He also looked shocked. “I’ll deal with him, don’t worry. He’ll be locked up and no one will ever see him again.” He decided and stood up.

“The precious metal in Wakanda is the real target.” Craig said when they all stood up and wanted to leave the room. “Others want it as well.”

T’Challa looked at Craig coldly. “They won’t get it.” He said simply and left.

Right before Tony could follow him, Craig spoke again. “You can find out if it’s true. When you look at the files.” Tony looked over his shoulder again and in this moment, he knew that he hated this man. More than anything.

“Let’s go, Tony.” Steve’s voice interrupted his thoughts. His tone was soft and he placed a hand on Tony’s back, pushing him towards the door. “Don’t listen to him anymore.”

And then they were outside again, in the small corridor where the others were waiting. Four of Ross’ men entered the small room now, guarding Craig until they were ready to transport him to the next prison.

Tony felt the worried looks of the others on him and T’Challa. He didn’t have the strength to smile lightly, like he usually did. Instead, he looked at Ross. “Make sure he’ll never get a chance to escape.”

“I’ll do that.” Ross nodded. “Maybe we should keep this conversation to ourselves.”

They all agreed. “JARVIS, look at the files. I want to know if it’s true.” Tony whispered into his phone and didn’t wait for a reply. When he looked up again, he saw Steve’s concerned face.

“Let’s go outside. I need some air.” Tony muttered and didn’t wait for the others. He just had to get out of this building.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, he was sitting on a bench outside. All around him, people were still trying to get an overview of the extent of the explosion. He didn’t really see them, he was too lost in his own thoughts.

What Craig told him was true. About five minutes after he left, JARVIS showed him the files. There was everything about this man, his former life, before he was recruited by Hydra, his missions, just everything. His name was Craig Slier. Unlike Bucky, he and the others didn’t have special names like the Winter Soldier. Only the first of them got this special treatment.

He killed Tony’s parents. The policemen who didn’t believe in an accident all those years ago were right. The files didn’t say who gave the order. Tony wasn’t sure if he should be angry or glad because of this.

For the first time in years, Tony felt completely lost. Everything he knew about his past seemed to be one big lie. His father had been working for SHIELD, and that’s what got him killed in the end. It was also mentioned that Craig stole something from Howard, but Tony didn’t really care. After all, this had been years ago. 

What should he do now?  _Could_ he even do anything? Tony doubted it. But the knowledge that his parents have been killed was weighing heavily on him now. 

He’d also found something else in the files. First, the mission was meant for the Winter Soldier. However, he wasn’t in the country by that time his parents died. So Craig got the order. Tony didn’t know how he would have reacted if Bucky had been the one to kill his parents. And he also didn’t want to think of what it would have done to Steve. After all, Bucky was very important to him.

Slowly, Tony looked for his phone in his pockets. He really needed someone to talk. He wasn’t sure if calling Pepper was a good idea, but he did it either way. Only that she didn’t accept the call. When Tony looked at the clock, he noticed that it was still earlier in New York. Pepper must be still at work!

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and leaned back. She would see that he tried to call her and then she would call him back. In a few hours. He really wished that this day would finally end and that he could go home again.

Suddenly, someone cleared his throat. Tony already expected to see Steve standing there, but instead, he looked at T’Challa’s face. The prince – no, now king – of Wakanda was looking at him calmly. “Would you mind if I sit down?” He asked politely.

“Not at all.” Tony answered, a little surprised. Why would T’Challa want to talk to him? Tony had already assumed that he would go back to his father now, or right to Wakanda.

“I assume you already did research on what this man said to you?” T’Challa asked after a few moments of silence.

Tony nodded. “It’s true.” He admitted with a sigh. “I already feared that when he mentioned it the first time.”

“It seems like Hydra has control over both of our lives.” T’Challa said thoughtfully. When Tony looked at him, he saw the grief in his eyes. “My father didn’t survive his injuries.”

“I’m sorry.” Tony told him. “We should have done more to prevent this attack.” And it was true. They’ve known about it all along, but in the end, they weren’t able to stop Craig. The guilt made him feel sick.

“It is not your fault.” T’Challa threw in. “You did everything you could. Hydra is responsible for this. And this man who is locked up now. The one whose mind is being controlled.”

“I would love to deal with him myself now.” Tony muttered darkly and already imagined himself beating up Craig. Making that stupid grin vanish from his face.

“Anger won’t help us in this situation.” T’Challa’s voice was still calm, but Tony could see the storm in his eyes. “We have to consider every step carefully. We’re walking on dangerous ground now.”

“I know that it won’t help, but maybe it would make me feel better.” He admitted and ran a hand through his hair.

“It wouldn’t. Or did that happen in the past?”

“No.” Tony muttered after thinking about it for some time. “Only made things worse.”

T’Challa bowed his head with a small smile. “Then you shouldn’t let vengeance consume you. You should keep going and try to find the ones who are responsible for all those things as a whole. And when you stop them, it will all come to an end.”

“Our target is Hydra itself.” Tony told him. “That’s our mission. The Avengers will stop Hydra and their plans.”

“So you already know your target.” T’Challa noted.

Tony groaned. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Things are only as difficult as we make them to ourselves. My father always said this to me.” T’Challa explained when Tony looked at him curiously.

“He was a great man.”

T’Challa nodded. “And I will miss him greatly.” Again, they were silent for some time, until T’Challa spoke again. “ In my culture, death is not the end. It's more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where you can run forever.”

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Sounds peaceful.” He noted.

“My father thought so.” T’Challa agreed. However, Tony noticed that he didn’t mention his opinion about this. “If we can help you in your fight against Hydra, we will. Wakanda is a country of strong warriors. And then there’s the Black Panther, our guardian. When they killed the king, they made it our fight as well.”

“And now you will be king.” Tony said.

T’Challa nodded slowly. “I will.” He agreed simply, a thoughtful look on his face.

“You will be a good king, I’m sure of that.” When T’Challa looked at him in surprise, Tony smiled slightly. “Don’t ask me why, but I just know this.”

A small smile appeared on T’Challa’s lips. “Thank you. And also for your help concerning Klaue. I now that you gave Ross the lead to find him.”

Tony nodded. “He promised me something and I did this for him.” He shrugged. “Simple agreement. I bet Ross will help you looking for him?”

“Yes, we will do this together.” T’Challa agreed. “First, I didn’t know what to think of this man, but I really like Everett.” Huh? First names? Tony decided not to say anything concerning this. He didn’t want the future king of Wakanda being mad at him.

“Who knows, maybe Klaue is also working for Hydra. They’re all after the Vibranium.” He said instead.

“We will have to find out.” T’Challa muttered. “But that shouldn’t be your concern. You have to deal with Hydra.”

“You should tell us the story with Klaue either way.” Tony threw in. “And we’ll let you know how things with Hydra are going. And if your help is needed.”

“So we have an agreement.” T’Challa smiled.

Tony nodded. “Seems so.”

The sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation. This time, it was really Steve who joined them. Together with Bucky and Natasha.

“How are you feeling?” Steve asked when he sat down next to Tony.

“Better.” He replied with a glance at T’Challa. “It’s still a lot to take in, though.”

“You don’t have to deal with this alone.” Steve whispered. “We’re all by your side.” Then he turned to T’Challa and asked how he was feeling. Apparently, the news of king T’Chaka’s death had already reached the others.

For some time, they kept talking about the events of the day and other, more unimportant things. Later, Clint, Bruce and Thor, who’ve been helping at the destroyed building, joined them as well. Just like Everett Ross, who wanted to talk to T’Challa.

When they finally reached their hotel again, it was late in the evening. Tony wanted to call Pepper once he was in his room, but then he was too tired and fell asleep the moment he sat down on the bed.


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The next morning, Tony woke up with a headache. And his back was also hurting. When he opened his eyes slowly, light was blinding him. What time was it? And how long did he sleep?

He sat up slowly and realized that he was still wearing his clothes from the previous day. A look at the clock told him that it was already eight in the morning. The others would be up already. When he stood up, he noticed several things. He was really hungry and needed at least three cups of coffee, he had to take a shower and his phone on the nightstand was blinking.

He decided that he should have a shower first. Under the hot water, Tony felt his muscles relax slowly. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling.

That’s when it hit him. The attack at the conference. T’Chaka’s death. The attacker and their conversation with Craig.  _I killed his father. Just like I killed your parents._ The sick grin on the man’s lips when he told Tony this. His conversation with T’Challa. 

Suddenly, Tony was starting to feel sick. After he put on some clothes, he had to sit down on the bed again and buried his face in his hands. The death of his parents hadn’t been an accident. They were killed by Hydra. Everything he ever believed about the car crash was a big lie.

Breathing in deeply, he tried to calm down again. That happened years ago, he couldn’t change it anymore. But if Hydra wouldn’t have planned the attack, they might have lived years longer… His parents. His mother who used to love him unconditionally. She had the most beautiful smile. Would she be proud if she knew what he was doing now? Or would she be disappointed because he kept risking his life? On the other hand, his father had been working for SHIELD, which also wasn’t riskless…

His father. Howard Stark. He’s been a brilliant man and everyone just remembered that about him. One of the founders of SHIELD. Steve knew him from his past when Howard was still a young man. He also said that he was incredible, even if he avoided talking about Howard when Tony was around. Or about his past at all. He’d designed the shield for Steve. He always believed in Captain America. Just like he always believed that they would find Steve. They did, but his father never got the chance to see him again. And now he was one of Tony’s best friends.

Was Steve also upset about the news that his parents have been killed? Tony would have to ask him later. After all, Howard had been his friend a long time ago.

With a sigh, Tony reached for his phone. He’d planned to call Pepper the previous evening, but then he’d just fallen asleep. Now there were two missed calls from her. After the second one, she even left him a message.

“ _Hey Tony, I just read what happened at the conference. Are you alright? They say that people have been injured. You didn’t answer my calls, slowly I’m starting to get worried. Please call me back once you hear this? I love you._ ” 

What should he tell her? That everything was fine? But it was a lie and Pepper could see through them easily. Last evening, he planned to tell her everything. However, he wasn’t so sure anymore if he wanted to talk about the death of his parents on the phone. Maybe he should just wait until they were back in New York…

With a sigh, he pressed the ‘call’ button. And of course the voicemail answered. Then he realized that it was still night in New York. “Hey Pep, I just wanted to let you know that everything’s fine. We found Steve’s friend, just in an unexpected way. We’ll head back to NY soon, then I’ll tell you the whole story. I love you.”

He nodded to himself and left the hotel room. The others were already downstairs, having breakfast. Even Bucky was there, sitting in a corner next to Steve.

Tony didn’t like the way they were looking at him. He hated the pity in their eyes. Only Steve smiled at him. “Good morning, did you sleep well?” Tony noticed that Steve was also looking tired, with dark rings under his eyes. Did  _he_ even sleep last night? Or did he talk to Bucky for hours? 

Tony shrugged. “I’m fine.” He said simply and reached for the coffee on the table. “Don’t worry about me.”

He ignored the looks the others exchanged. “So what’s the plan for now?” He asked to avoid talking about the news they got yesterday.

“We don’t have one yet.” Steve explained. “We wanted to wait for you.”

“We can’t do much anymore. Ross and his team will deal with everything.” Natasha added.

“I already expected that.” Tony nodded. “And our dear friend?”

“Locked up.” Clint told him. “Last night, Ross organized the transport. He’ll never see the sun again.”

“That’s good.” Tony felt a dark satisfaction, even if he still thought that shooting this man with a cannon would be even more satisfying.

“We doubt that he’ll tell them anything else.” Steve said now, exchanging a look with Bucky, who nodded.

“It was a surprise that he even talked to you yesterday.” Bucky noted.

“He didn’t say anything useful, though.” Tony muttered.

“Tony, about yesterday…” Bruce started hesitantly, but Tony interrupted him quickly.

“I’m _fine_ , guys. Alright? Just drop it. I don’t want to talk about this. Possibly not ever, understood?” He glared at them and when no one tried to say anything else, he nodded. “Good, so now that it’s settled, let us make a plan.” 

“Can’t we just return to New York?” Thor asked. “Our work here is done. And we still have to deal with the problem im Alaska.” While saying that, he glanced at Bucky, as if he wasn’t sure if he could mention this in front of him.

“That’s true.” Steve agreed. He seemed to have noticed Thor’s look as well. “And Bucky will accompany us.” Since he was already having breakfast with them, no one seemed to be surprised by the news. “There, Tony and Bruce will make sure that Hydra can’t manipulate him again.”

At those words, Bucky looked down at his plate on the table. It was obvious that he wasn’t feeling well in his position. Tony was surprised that he’s been able to ignore Sam’s deathly glances until now. It wasn’t hard to miss that Sam seemed to be unhappy about Bucky’s presence.

“Should be done easily.” Tony added. “We already have a plan on how to do it.”

Bruce nodded.

“And what about me?” Sam asked now. “Seems like my work’s also done.” He glanced at Bucky again.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you.” Steve said with a smile. “Actually, we’ve been talking about you just yesterday evening.”

Now Sam looked suspicious.

Natasha laughed. “Don’t scare him like that, Steve. It’s nothing bad, Sam.”

Tony also grinned. “You will like it, I think.” The previous evening, right before Tony had left for his room, they’ve been talking about Sam’s future. And the original six Avengers had decided that they could use someone new. “Do you remember when I told you that you’d fit into our team pretty well?” He raised his eyebrows.

When Sam realized what Tony was offering, Sam’s eyes widened. “You mean…?” He stared at all of them. In the end, his eyes rested on Steve.

“We all agreed that the Avengers could use a new team member.” Steve explained with a wide smile on his lips. “Of course only if you are still interested.”

Sam shook his head in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Not interested?!?” He laughed. “You are really asking me to join the Avengers? Me?”

Tony nodded. “Now you finally understand us.” He grinned. “So I can say welcome to the team?”

Sam only shook his head, still too surprised to say anything. When they all congratulated and hugged him (well, not everyone did that), and laugher filled the room, Tony couldn’t help noticing the lost look on Bucky’s face, as if he was feeling completely out of place. In this moment, even Steve didn’t seem to notice the discomfort of his former best friend. 

* * *

Before they left, Tony wanted to talk to Ross again and thank him for his help. However, it wasn’t easy to find him. It took him some time and in the end, he also needed the help of a young man standing guard in front of the destroyed conference building.

Ross was in his office, but he wasn’t alone. When Tony got closer, he noticed that he door wasn’t closed. And he could hear voices.

“You know that this is a horrible plan.” Everett Ross said now and Tony could hear the apprehension in his voice.

“We don’t have a choice.” The second person said and Tony recognized T’Challa. What were they talking about? And should he announce his presence just now? “Klaue is a threat to Wakanda. We have to act as soon as possible.” Tony decided to listen to their conversation for a few more moments.

“I can’t just deal with him, T’Challa.” Ross sighed. “That would make him even more suspicious.”

“Not if you offer him enough money for the Vibranium.” T’Challa threw in thoughtfully. “Together, we can get him, Everett. I need your help with this.” Before, Tony didn’t realize that they were this close. They were even calling each other by their first names.

“So you say that I just have to find him and then I’ll be your distraction?” Ross still didn’t sound happy.

“Yes, we will deal with him then.” T’Challa confirmed.

“And that will happen after your coronation.”

“I have to secure peace in Wakanda first.” T’Challa agreed. “Without a king, my country will be weakened.”

“I understand that this is your first priority. And of course the burial of your father.” Ross hesitated. “I’m really sorry for your loss.”

“You did everything to secure his safety.” T’Challa’s voice was softer than usual.

Ross sighed. “Just that the Avengers also couldn’t save him.”

“And I couldn’t do it as well.” T’Challa’s voice was barely a whisper now and Tony had to step closer to hear everything he said. “I’ve failed him. You warned us about the danger. But in that moment, I was too shocked to act.”

“Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault.” It was strange to hear Everett Ross speak in such a soft tone. Especially towards the next king of Wakanda. Normally, Ross was known for being distanced and professional. Again, Tony wondered what was going on between them.

“And you will be a good king, I just know it.” Ross continued. “You will make Wakanda a better country than it was before. You won’t be alone when you’ll try to fulfil your plans. You know that you can count on me.”

“Everett…” T’Challa’s voice was muffled now and Tony wondered if Ross was hugging him now. He decided that it was time to announce his presence.

He walked towards the room loudly and when he reached the door, he knocked. After a few moments, Ross told him to come in. Ross and T’Challa weren’t sitting in front of the desk, but in two armchairs that stood in the corner of the room. They looked surprised when they saw that Tony entered the office.

“I hope I’m not intruding.” Tony said and smiled at them. “Otherwise, I could come back later –“

“No, it’s fine.” Ross interrupted him quickly. “We were just discussing a few things, nothing too important.”

T’Challa nodded. “If you want to speak to Agent Ross alone, I can just leave.” He offered, but Tony shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. I wanted to speak to both of you, actually.” He sat down on the small couch that offered just enough space for two people.

“And what brings you here, Mr. Stark?” Ross raised his eyebrows.

“It’s Tony.” He said automatically. “And I wanted to thank you for your help.” He smiled at Ross. “And I’m sure that I can speak for the other Avengers as well. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to catch the attacker.”

Ross shook his head. “You don’t have to thank me.” He crossed his arms. “I only did my job.”

“You did more than that.” Tony argued. “You trusted us.”

Ross chuckled. “Just because you could prove your assertions.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “You can say whatever you want, we owe you something.”

“No, you don’t.” Ross said immediately. “You already helped me with another important issue.” He glanced at T’Challa and Tony knew that he meant Klaue.

“So we are even?”

He nodded. “I would say so.” Ross was smiling at him now.

Tony grinned. “If you need our help again, just call me.”

“Likewise.” Ross replied calmly.

Tony turned to T’Challa, who’d listened to their conversation silently. “You will be returning to Wakanda soon?”

T’Challa nodded. “I will leave tomorrow.”

“I hope you can solve your problem concerning the Vibranium.” Tony said.

“If we need help, I will contact you.” T’Challa said with a smile. “It is an honour for Wakanda to call the Avengers our friends.”

Tony grinned. “When you say it like that, people will think that we’re actually impressing.”

“You are.” T’Challa chuckled. “That’s also why I decided to invite you all to my coronation. Just like Agent Ross.”

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “We should visit you in Wakanda?”

T’Challa nodded. “Of course only if you have the time.”

“We will.” Tony said immediately. “It is an honour to be invited. I will inform the others about this soon.”

T’Challa grinned. “My sister also wants to meet you. She still can’t believe that someone got into our systems that easily.”

Tony laughed. “That will be an interesting meeting, I suppose.”

“Of course you can also bring your fiancé.” T’Challa’s next words made Tony raise his eyebrows in surprise. “I found an article about it while I was doing research about you.” T’Challa admitted and now he was smiling sheepishly.

“I bet Pepper would like a vacation.” Tony nodded thoughtfully. “And maybe there’s someone else who would like to accompany us as well. He’s still a teenager, but with very impressing abilities.”

They kept talking about unimportant things for a few more minutes. Then, Tony said goodbye and went to search the other Avengers again. Somehow, he had the feeling that Ross and T’Challa wanted some time alone.

* * *

On their way to New York, Tony’s phone rang. A look at the display told him that it was Pepper.

“Hey Pep, how was your day?” He asked once he’d accepted the call.

“ _Tony, finally I’ve been able to reach you. How are you?_ ” She ignored his question, but Tony couldn’t blame her. Not when he could hear how tense she was. 

“We’re all fine, you don’t have to worry. And we’re already on our way back. Give us about three more hours, then we’ll land at the tower.”

“ _But what happened? And is Bucky with you? You said that something unexpected happened._ _And I know you’re not fine. Something else happened, I could hear it in your voice when you recorded the message. What is it?_ ” 

“Yes, he’s with us.” Tony answered the first question. “You don’t have to worry, though. Seems like he’s himself again.” He hesitated. “He’s not dangerous.” Was this true? Tony still wasn’t so sure about this, even if Bucky really seemed to be harmless now. He was even joking and laughing sometimes. Could he turn into the Winter Soldier again any moment? The first thing he’d do when they arrived in New York was to have a look at Bucky. And the other files about the super soldiers. JARVIS was still busy decoding them and Steve read everything once it was uploaded on his tablet. Until now, there wasn’t anything interesting. It seemed like they were all dead except for Bucky and Craig.

“ _And what happened to you?_ ” Pepper asked again. “ _I know you’re hiding something from me._ ” 

Of course she knew that. Pepper knew him so well. “Let’s not talk about that on the phone.” He muttered.

“ _I’ll wait for you._ ” Her voice was softer now. “ _Should I order dinner?_ ” 

“That would be great.” He whispered.

“ _The usual for everyone?_ ” 

“We’re two more people than before, but the usual is fine.” He said gratefully.

“ _I love you, Tony._ ” Pepper said now. 

“I love you too. More than anything.” He replied softly. And right now, he realized again how he’d needed to hear her voice. Even that could make everything a little better. “I’ll see you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else who likes T'Challa and Everett Ross as much as I do? :)


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“Alright, now you told me everything that happened. But I still don’t know what upset you this much.” Pepper said and raised her eyebrows. They were sitting on the couch in their private quarters, about an hour after their return. When they’d arrived, Tony just hugged Pepper tightly and hid his face in her neck. Then they ate with the others and went upstairs to talk in private. Bucky’s appearance didn’t shock Pepper that much, most probably because Tony had already announced it on the phone. Bucky was with Steve and Sam in Steve’s private rooms now. After his conversation with Pepper, Tony would go downstairs and run some tests on him together with Bruce, who was already in the lab and prepared everything. 

“It’s complicated.” Tony muttered hesitantly. He still didn’t want to talk about it. He’d already blocked Steve’s attempts in the jet. Steve had known Howard as well, for him the news also weren’t easy to take in. However, it was something different to know that your friend and his wife were killed than your parents.

“Tony…” Pepper began hesitantly and took his hand. Until now, he didn’t even realize that he’d clenched his fists. “You can tell me everything. Even if I’d understand if you don’t want to talk about it yet. Whatever you got to know, it must have upset you very much. And not just you, the others seemed down as well.”

She really used to notice everything and Tony loved her even more for this. Slowly, he started to relax again, knowing that she wouldn’t pressure him into saying anything. He leaned forward and pulled her closer. Then he hid his face on her neck and breathed in deeply. “I love you.” He muttered against her skin.

“I love you too, Tony.” Pepper replied softly and he felt her hand stroking his back slowly. “More than anything.”

“Forever.” He added before he could stop himself. They stayed like this for some time, not saying anything. Tony just enjoyed her company and tried to figure out how to tell her about this. He’d left out that part of their conversation with Craig entirely. He’d just told her about the death of king T’Chaka of Wakanda.

“T’Challa invited us to Wakanda.” The memory of his conversation with T’Challa and Everett Ross just came to his mind. He leaned back to look at Pepper’s face. “For his coronation. After all, he’ll be the next king.”

“That’s great, Tony. I bet you’ll like it there. From what you’ve told me, this must be an interesting country.” She was smiling and he could tell that she was really glad for him.

“All of us.” He added and smiled softly.

“You mean the Avengers.” Pepper stated and frowned. “Or do you mean…?”

He grinned. “T’Challa can’t wait to meet my fiancé.” He explained. “Even in Wakanda, they have a look at the news sometimes.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “The next king of Wakanda invited us to his coronation? Both of us?”

“Yes, you, me, the kid, the Avengers. We’re all invited.” He confirmed.

Pepper chuckled and he could still see the surprise on her face. “And I thought my life was already exciting.” She muttered and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Then she kissed him softly. “I hope you told him that we’ll come?” Now there was this threatening look on her face again, the one she always used when she really wanted something.

He nodded. “Of course.”

She kissed him again and smiled. “I can’t believe it. Wakanda.”

“I think that will be an interesting holiday.”

Somehow, his words seemed to distract her. The smile vanished from her lips and Pepper looked serious now. “I have to return to Malibu soon.” She said suddenly.

“Huh?” Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You’re going to leave us here?”

“I’m needed in Los Angeles. There will be important meetings for the company. And there’s an important appointment with the press.”

This was new to him. “Why?” He asked and raised his eyebrows.

“Your energy project won a prize. Well, more than one, to be exact.” She told him.

“What did I win?” He asked, still surprised. When she listed all the categories, he grinned. “Wow, I’m really a genius.”

Now Pepper rolled her eyes and hit him playfully. “Don’t let that get to your head. You won things before.”

“But not that many prizes at the same time.” He argued.

“Yes, you did. That one time in Chicago. Don’t you remember?” After a few moments, he really did. He nodded.

“That doesn’t mean anything. I’m still a genius.”

She sighed. “No one will argue about this.”

“How long will you be gone?” He asked, forgetting his good mood.

“A few weeks.” Pepper said hesitantly. “I’m not sure yet. There are many things that need to be done once I’m there.”

He’d already expected something like this and tried to hide his disappointment. “And when will you leave?”

“In two weeks.” She looked at him apologetically. “I’m so sorry, Tony. But it’s really urgent.” She frowned at him and somehow, he had the feeling that she could see his unease.

He nodded slowly and leaned back on the couch. Then he closed his eyes. “Alright.” He muttered, knowing that he didn’t sound pleased anymore. “It’s fine, maybe I can accompany you for a few days.” He knew that this wouldn’t work, they wanted to deal with their problem in Alaska soon.

“You know this isn’t possible.” Again, she knew what he was thinking. “The Avengers are still needed.”

“Doesn’t mean that I have to like it.” He muttered darkly. “I hate being apart from you again.”

“Me too.” She agreed quietly. “But we still have two weeks until I leave. We can use the time.”

He smiled. “That would be great.”

“Maybe we can even go to our new house again over the weekend.” She suggested. “Just you and me for a few days.”

“Awesome.” He leaned in to kiss her softly. “We’ll do that. JARVIS, you can plan everything. I don’t want anything to come between us and our plans.”

“ _Of course, sir._ ” JARVIS answered immediately. 

Tony smiled at Pepper. “So now that’s settled.”

Again, they were silent for a few moments. Pepper would leave in two weeks. That was around the time the Avengers wanted to leave for Alaska, they’d discussed this in the jet. Rhodey would accompany them, he would be part of the team for this mission. Or even longer if the others were fine with that. Tony would have to ask them soon. After all, Sam was also part of the Avengers now. Why not Rhodey as well? And they still weren’t sure what to do with Bucky… Tony knew that Steve wanted him to be part of the team. And he’d be fine with it, if they could make sure that Hydra didn’t have any influence on Bucky anymore. If he wasn’t the Winter Soldier and tried to kill anyone, Tony even liked him. And except for Sam, the others seemed to think so too. Would Bucky accompany them to Alaska as well if Hydra’s influence could be annulled?

He thought of the events in Vienna once more. Craig and what he’d told them. He’d killed his parents, as well as T’Challa’s father. He was locked up now and would never see the sun again. Tony was still unhappy that he couldn’t beat up the man, but this was also fine. Not that satisfying, but either way… He remembered T’Challa’s words.  _Then you shouldn’t let vengeance consume you. You should keep going and try to find the ones who are responsible for all those things as a whole. And when you stop them, it will all come to an end._

He was right, wasn’t he? They had to stop Hydra, only then things like this could be prevented. Otherwise, it could always happen again. Even if there were no more soldiers like Bucky and Craig, Hydra could still have other secret weapons. Or secrets in general…

“Tony, are you alright?” Pepper’s voice ripped him out of his thoughts. “You had this absent-minded look on your face.”

The urge to nod and tell her that everything’s alright was strong, but he resisted it. He couldn’t lie to her any longer. “No.” He muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “Nothing’s fine, if I’m honest.”

When he glanced at her, he could see the concern on Pepper’s face. “What happened?” She asked softly and touched his cheek.

“He killed my parents.” Tony whispered and closed his eyes. “That fucking bastard killed my parents.” He breathed in shakily and before he knew what was happening, he was in Pepper’s arms. She whispered words of comfort in his ears, but either way, he couldn’t hold back the tears.

Later, he couldn’t tell anymore how long they just sat there, her arms around his shoulders and his face on her chest. Most probably, he’d just ruined her blouse, but he didn’t care. He only knew that it felt good to let it all out. All the pain, not just from the knowledge about his parents’ death. But from everything that happened in the past months and years. Sometimes, even Tony Stark needed comfort.

When he finally gained control over himself again, he avoided to look at her. Suddenly, his outburst felt really embarrassing, even if he knew that Pepper didn’t see it like that. “Tony, will you look at me?” She asked softly and he couldn’t resist. He knew that he probably looked like a mess, but she was smiling anyway. “It’s alright, you don’t always have to be strong. Not around me.” She placed her hands on his cheeks. “You can always come to me when you’re upset.”

“I keep seeing them, Pep.” He whispered. “My parents. The last time I saw them, before the accident. Just that it wasn’t an accident.” He grimaced. “A young police officer was sceptical about it back then, but no one believed him. He was right, after all.” He laughed dryly. “I also thought that he was crazy. I called him paranoid, I think”

“You couldn’t know what really happened.”

“No, but I feel bad either way. Back then, I’ve just been so angry about everything. And I still am, but now it’s different. Back then, I’ve been angry at my parents for leaving me alone. All the responsibility with the company, everything fell on me. Now it’s different. I know who it was and now he’s locked up, out of reach for everyone. I would still love to beat him up.” She opened her mouth to reply something, but he cut her off quickly. “I know that it wouldn’t help, I’ve already talked about this with T’Challa.” 

This seemed to surprise her. “You talked to him, but not to me or Steve?”

“Yeah, right after the questioning. We both lost our parents to him, or at least part of them, that’s what made us talk in the first place, I think. He told me that I shouldn’t let vengeance consume me.”

“He seems to be a wise person. I’m really looking forward to meet him someday.” She said thoughtfully.

“I bet you’ll like him.” He smiled slightly. “He’s right. I have to focus on the important things right now. And that’s defeating Hydra as a whole, and not just one of their soldiers.”

“You can do that, you have a great team.” Pepper smiled. “And with you and Steve as leaders, the Avengers can’t lose.”

Just that their next mission would be Alaska. And Tony always had a bad feeling about this. But he didn’t want to mention this now, he didn’t want to scare Pepper. She shouldn’t worry when they were gone for that mission.

He leaned in to kiss her softly. “I really don’t know what I should do without you.”

“You’d be completely lost.” She whispered and placed a hand on his chest.

“I would.” He agreed and closed his eyes.

“Don’t think about it anymore.” Pepper said suddenly and when he raised his eyebrows questioningly, she leaned back. “What he said. Just forget it. It doesn’t matter. You can’t change the past.”

“When you say it like this, it sounds so easy. I don’t think that I can do it. It will haunt me in my sleep.”

“I’ll keep you safe.” She promised. “I can keep the nightmares away.”

“I’m curious to see how you will do that.”

Somehow, the mischievous smile on her lips excited him. “I have a plan.”

“Can’t wait to see that.” He muttered and suddenly, his mouth was feeling dry.

“I bet you can’t.” Her smile grew even wider. It was obvious how much she was enjoying this.

“Why can’t it already be evening?” It was still in the afternoon and he still had many things to do, but right now, he would have loved to forget them.

“You have to be patient.” She kissed his cheek.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by JARVIS’ voice. “ _Sir, Doctor Banner has prepared everything. He says that you can start the scans in about thirty minutes_ .” 

Tony groaned. “Can’t we just have a few hours to ourselves?”

“That’s why I want to leave.” Pepper stated with a knowing look on her face. She frowned at him. “You will be busy for the rest of the day?”

He shrugged. “We have to look at Bucky, to make sure that he’s not a threat to anyone. Steve and Sam can’t watch him forever. And I don’t want someone who’s a security risk in my tower.”

“I also don’t feel that good about having him here.” Pepper admitted. “After everything you’ve told me about him.”

“When he’s himself, he’s not that bad.” Tony threw in. “I can see why Steve likes him so much.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You want to say that you could imagine being his friend someday?”

“I don’t know.” He admitted. “Most probably, yes. When we’ve made sure that he won’t hurt anyone.” He emphasized the last sentence. “I like his sense of humour.” He added meekly and ran a hand through his hair. Suddenly, he realized how bad he must look. Most probably, his eyes were still red from crying. “I think I’ll need a shower before I join the others in the lab.”

“I’ll come with you.” Pepper said with a smile and before he could reply, she already began to slip her hands under his shirt.


	61. Chapter 61

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“And you’re sure about this?” Steve asked thoughtfully and frowned at them.

Tony nodded. “Absolutely.”

“We ran every test we could think of.” Bruce added.

Steve still didn’t look convinced. “What happens if you’re wrong?”

“The chance is very small, Steve.” Tony tried to reassure him. “We made sure that our result is safe.”

“It didn’t take us three days for nothing.” Bruce nodded.

“Bucky is himself and Hydra’s control on him should have vanished. I really hit him hard enough with your shield.” Now Tony grinned widely.

Slowly, Steve started to relax. “So he can stay here?” Tony noticed the hope in his voice, next to insecurity. The past three days, Tony and Bruce had tried to figure out how to help Bucky. Or if he needed help, to be more exact. Because they didn’t know if Hydra’s influence on him was still there. In the end, the old files about the Winter Soldier JARVIS decoded helped them with this. There, they found many papers about the things they’d done with Bucky’s mind. With the help of the information, Tony and Bruce had been able to make sure that no one could control Bucky’s mind again. It was very experimental, but it should work. They were about 99 percent sure about this.

“Yes, it seems like he can. If he wants to.” Tony said and watched with satisfaction when Steve started to smile for the first time since they arrived at the tower.

“Of course he wants to. We already talked about this.” Steve explained. “But I would understand if you don’t want him here.” He added hastily. “After everything he’s done.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t start with that, Steve. I like him. And the others do as well.” It was true, in the past days, most Avengers had stayed in the lab with them while Tony and Bruce ran the tests on Bucky. To keep them company, but also to make sure that Bucky didn’t turn into the Winter Soldier again and tried to hurt anyone. Soon, they all realized that they liked Bucky. Very much, to be exact. Even Sam smiled sometimes. Tony hoped that they would get along well, they had to if Bucky would stay.

“I just don’t want to decide this alone.” Steve said slowly.

“You don’t have to.” Another voice interrupted their conversation and they turned around to see Natasha and Clint entering the lab. Except for Thor and Sam, the Avengers were complete now. “We talked to Thor and Sam, they also think that Bucky should stay.” Natasha continued.

“Sam is fine with this?” The surprise in Steve’s voice was obvious. Sam didn’t make a secret of his dislike towards Bucky.

She nodded. “Bucky’s with him right now. I don’t know what they’re talking about, but it doesn’t look like Sam wants to kill Bucky any time soon.”

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “So Bucky really broke through Sam’s defensive walls.” He noted.

“What do you mean?” Steve looked at him questioningly.

“To me, it seemed that Sam wanted to hate Bucky because he hurt you. And he was able to hurt you again.” Tony explained. “You’re his best friend, Steve. Sam is really protective over you.”

It took Steve a few moments to understand the meaning of Tony’s words, but then his eyes widened slightly. “I never thought about it like this.”

“Sam knows that this is difficult for you, Steve.” Natasha said in a calming voice. “He doesn’t blame you for anything.”

Steve sighed. “This is far more difficult than I expected.”

“You’ll get used to it.” Tony threw in. “We all will. The team has a new member in Sam. And who knows? Maybe Bucky will join us too, if working together with him works.”

“We could really use more help in the fight against Hydra.” Clint muttered. “I don’t like all this. It takes us far too long to deal with them. Our trip to Europe has given Hydra time to prepare for our next attack.”

“Don’t forget that Rhodey will join us in Alaska.” Tony threw in.

“Another person who’s depending on technology. Really helpful.” Clint crossed his arms.

“Don’t forget that Bucky wouldn’t be able to do anything as well.” Steve said slowly.

Clint cursed. “His arm. You’re right, I forgot about that.”

“We have to act soon.” Natasha said now. “But maybe we should talk about this when the whole team is here.”

They all nodded in agreement.

“And you’ll leave with Pepper this weekend?” Natasha asked when it was obvious that they didn’t want to continue talking about Hydra for now.

Tony nodded with a smile. “Yes, we’ll take another time out. Pep has to leave soon, there are things in LA she needs to deal with.” He noticed how unhappy he sounded.

“She mentioned something like that. And you don’t want to go with her?”

Tony raised his eyebrows sceptically. “As far as I know, I’m needed here. And we can’t just move with our whole equipment to Malibu just because I want to be close to her.”

“If everything works out, we’ll only need a few days in Alaska.” Steve threw in. “And maybe you can go to Malibu on our way back.”

Tony smiled gratefully. “That would be awesome. Even if I doubt that it would be a long break. We still didn’t find the main bases of Hydra. The ones where they store the important stuff.”

“But we’re on it.” Steve sounded confident. “We’ll be able to deal with all this. I think we can do this within this year. Or at least until spring. After all, you’ve got to plan a wedding.” At those words, he winked at Tony.

Tony grinned and rolled his eyes. “You’re far too confident Cap, what happened to you? Normally, you say that we shouldn’t rush into anything.”

“Maybe I’m just happy at the moment?” Steve asked. “After all, Bucky’s with us now.”

But at what cost? Tony remembered T’Challa’s expression when he told him that his father was dead. And Hydra had killed his parents…

Tony forced a smile on his lips and hoped that the others didn’t notice anything. “And he won’t turn into a threat again.” He agreed. Did he just imagine it, or did Steve’s eyes narrowed slightly? Inwardly, Tony cursed. Steve really noticed everything.

Suddenly, the door of the elevator opened and Thor entered the lab. “Dinner’s ready, our food just arrived. I just wanted to let you know. Otherwise, it might happen that we’ll just eat all of it before you come.” He grinned widely when he saw the looks on their faces.

Bruce, Natasha and Clint went to the elevator, but Tony and Steve stayed behind. “We’ll join you soon.” Steve said and they just nodded. It happened often that Tony and Steve stayed behind to talk about things in private. Since they were the leaders of the team, the others rarely asked questions.

“I know that the news about your parents’ death are still weighing heavily on you.” Steve said after they sat down. He looked concerned now. “We didn’t get a chance to talk about this. Too much happened in the past days.”

Tony nodded. After all, they had to make sure that it was safe to let Bucky stay. “I’m fine.” He said simply.

Steve sighed. “Tony, I know you’re not. Don’t lie to me. For me, it’s not easy as well. I knew Howard, a long time ago, but that doesn’t matter. I’m shocked, I can’t even imagine how this must be for you.”

“Difficult.” Tony muttered, knowing that it wouldn’t help to lie to Steve any longer. “But I’m dealing with it. You know, doing other things, distracting yourself, I’ll be fine. It might take some time, but I’ll forget about it eventually. I just don’t want to see the monster who’d done it again.” He clenched his fists and breathed in deeply, trying to stay calm.

“Revenge won’t help.” Steve said softly.

“T’Challa said the same.” In short words, Tony told Steve about his conversation with the prince of Wakanda. Before, he’d just informed the Avengers that they were invited to the coronation. Not about the other things they’d talked about. “And Pepper also agrees with him.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Even I can’t ignore this. He’s right, after all.” 

Steve smiled. “I’m glad that you see it like this.” Then his face became serious again. “We need to talk to the new director of SHIELD soon.”

Tony nodded. “After Alaska.” He agreed. “JARVIS is already tracking them, it won’t be difficult to find him then.”

There was amazement on Steve’s face. Tony grinned. Even after all this time, he could still impress Steve. “Do I even want to know how you manage to do all this?”

“It’s my secret.” Tony replied calmly.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by JARVIS’ voice. “ _Sir, there’s someone who needs to talk to you._ ” 

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Who is it, JARVIS?”

“ _Peter Parker, sir. He says it is urgent._ ” 

“Oh no, what did he do now? Follow strange criminals who want to destroy the world again?” Tony muttered and saw an amused glance in Steve’s eyes, but also concern. He also liked the kid.

“ _It is a more personal problem._ ” JARVIS threw in. “ _Maybe you should talk to him by yourself. He’s waiting downstairs._ ” 

Tony nodded, curious what this was about. “Tell him to come to the lab.”

“ _Of course, sir._ ” 

Steve stood up. “Maybe it’s time for me to leave. I’ll save your dinner from the others.” He grinned and left.

* * *

“Wait, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Tony asked curiously and raised his eyebrows. They were in the lab and Tony was sitting on his desk, while Peter Parker sat on the couch.

“Well…” Peter said hesitantly and Tony knew that this whole conversation was really uncomfortable for him. Even if it shouldn’t be, Tony thought. In the past months, he really began to like the kid. Very much. Sometimes, Tony even considered him family. Would it feel like this to have a son? When he was with Peter, he felt so light and happy. They were constantly joking or doing stupid things. Of course Tony also taught him how to defend himself and stuff like this, but it was fun either way. And then there was this constant worry in the back of his mind when Peter was out on a mission. The system would inform him if something happened to the kid, but he was worried either way. When something would happen to Peter, Tony would feel responsible for this. He knew that. 

“Just say it, I don’t want to wait forever.” Tony muttered and couldn’t stop himself from grinning at him. “Actually, I still have a date.” Just before Peter entered the lab, Pepper had called Tony, asking if they wanted to have dinner together. Of course he’d agreed immediately.

Peter breathed in deeply. “I wanted to ask you if you would help me with something for school.” He repeated, more slowly this time. “I know that this is too much to ask.” The kid added hastily. “It’s just that this project his about presenting the jobs of your parents, and since I don’t…” He couldn’t finish the sentence and Tony stood up quickly and placed a hand on Peter’s arm.

“Hey, it’s alright.” He said softly and sat down next to him. “I understand that it’s difficult for you to talk about this. I really get it. Look, I lost my parents too when I was still young. And that sucks.” He couldn’t stand the unhappy look on Peter’s face. “But you have your aunt May and you’ve got me and Happy and all your friends, like Ted –“

“Ned.” Peter muttered quietly.

“Whatever.” Tony smiled. “What I want to say is that you’re not alone. And you’ll never be.”

Finally Peter looked at him again and smiled shyly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. I don’t want to bother you with stuff like this. I know that you’ve got more important stuff to do.” He sighed. “I’ll just tell our teacher that I won’t be able to do this project. May’s busy, but maybe she can try to come or –“

“Stop.” Tony interrupted him loudly. “I never said no, did I?” He smiled slightly. “In fact, I feel honoured that you decided to ask me, of all people. And I told you several times that I’ve always got time for you. And if I’m busy, Happy’s there. Or I can arrange it somehow, doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. “Just remember that you can never bother me.”

Slowly, the uncomfortable expression on Peter’s face vanished and was replaced by a smile. A very shocked and incredulous smile. “I… Mr. Stark…” He stammered and Tony chuckled.

“And I told you that it’s Tony.” He emphasized. “So when is this special day at school?” He asked with a grin. “JARVIS, make sure that I can come. Doesn’t matter what else is planned.” He smiled mischievously at Peter. “What was the name of the kid who doesn’t like you? I bet he’ll be stunned when he sees who accompanies you.”

Peter grinned widely.

* * *

“I think this is really sweet of you.” Pepper said with a smile. “That you want to help Peter with this.”

“I just couldn’t let him down.” Tony muttered. “It felt so wrong. I really like the kid.”

“I know you do.” She was still smiling softly. “I like him too. When he’s at the tower, sometimes it feels like he belongs there. You’re so good with him, if I wouldn’t know it better, I would think that he’s your own son.”

Tony chuckled. “And Steve’s his uncle?”

“Something like that.” Pepper agreed and joined his laughter. “You all care for him.”

Tony nodded. “I’m still impressed by the way this kid sneaked his way into the heart of the Avengers.”

“And especially of Tony Stark.” She remarked.

Tony grinned. “Seems like Tony Stark has a heart, right?”

“That’s what I’ve told you for years now.” Pepper reached for his hand over the table and squeezed it. “You’re good with him.”

Tony smiled sheepishly. “I would have never thought that. That I could deal with kids.”

She laughed. “You never had to deal with them before.” She reminded him and suddenly, there was a thoughtful look on her face.

“That’s true.” He agreed and looked at her questioningly. “What’s wrong?”

She frowned for half a second, before she smiled again. “What do you mean? Nothing’s wrong.”

“You had this thoughtful look on your face. So now tell me what came to your mind.” He smiled charmingly when he noticed her hesitation. “Please?”

That’s what did it. Pepper bit her lip. “In the last weeks, I’ve been thinking.” She began slowly. “So much is happening at the moment, but I don’t have to tell you that. And then there’s the wedding next year…”

Tony raised his eyebrows. What did she want to tell him?

“I met an old friend two weeks ago.” Pepper said suddenly. “She’s working in a small boutique here in New York. And she’s got two amazing children, I got to meet them. They were in the shop with her.” She hesitated again. “Well, I’ve been wondering if we can have this. Children, I mean. Or if you would even want it.” She avoided to look at him now. Instead, she looked at their joined hands on the table. The engagement ring was shining in the light of the restaurant.

Tony was stunned. In all their time together, they had never talked about this. Having children, starting a real family. Did he want that? Then he thought of Peter again, how it already felt like he belonged to his family. Would having children on their own also feel like this?

“Hey, Pepper, look at me.” He said softly and smiled at her. “I love you.” He whispered when they locked eyes again.

“I love you too. And I’m sorry, I didn’t want to ruin our evening.”

“You didn’t ruin anything.” He protested quickly and squeezed her hand. “You just took me by surprise.”

“You don’t have to say anything to this now, I understand that it needs time.” She muttered. “It just came to my mind when you talked about Peter.”

“You would like to have children.” It wasn’t a question, he could see it from the look on her face.

She nodded hesitantly. “But it’s not just my decision.”

“I’d like that too.” He was surprised by his own words and for a few moments, they just stared at each other.

“Tony…” Pepper hesitated, too surprised by his words. She cleared her throat. “Do you mean that?”

He smiled slightly. “Even if I can’t picture myself as a father.” He admitted. “And honestly, I don’t think that it would be easy. With everything that’s going on in our lives.”  _I can’t stop being Iron Man_ , he wanted to say.  _We’ve already been through this._

However, Pepper seemed to understand his unspoken words. “When has anything been easy?” Slowly, a smile spread on her lips. “That would be boring.”

Tony nodded. “Absolutely.” He agreed. And then he leaned over the table to kiss her deeply.


	62. Chapter 62

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“And you’re sure that no one will bother us this weekend?” Pepper didn’t sound convinced and somehow, Tony couldn’t blame her for this. After all, the trip to their house had been interrupted the last time by an emergency in the form of Bucky. Just that he was in the tower now, playing chess with Steve or whatever they were doing. Maybe also just catching up. After all, they’ve missed a lot in each other’s lives. Well, in Steve’s life. Bucky couldn’t remember much from the time he was under Hydra’s control. Tony knew that Steve also considered visiting Peggy again. A few days ago, Steve got to know that she wasn’t doing well. 

“Absolutely.” He replied simply. “The others are all busy preparing our next mission and Bucky is safe and sound in the tower. Nothing will interrupt our personal time.”

“The last time you said something similar.” Her voice was still filled with doubts.

“JARVIS will make sure that no one contacts us.” He emphasized.

“Unless it’s important.” Pepper added.

He sighed. “Stop worrying, I’m sure that it’ll be fine this time.”

“Did you also tell Peter that you’re busy?”

He nodded. Tony had talked to the kid this morning about his project for school. He had to present it next week and then, Tony would go to school with him. While they talked, Tony mentioned that he would be busy this weekend. “He knows. And he’s also not playing Spiderman this weekend. Even if he does, Steve’s in New York and can deal with that.”

“Seems like the kid has more than one mentor now.” She sounded amused and somehow, Tony didn’t like her saying this.

“Steve’s my deputy when it comes to Peter, nothing else. When something happens, the kid will always come to me first.” The thought that Peter might consider someone else his idol bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

Pepper laughed. “You don’t have to be jealous of Steve or anyone else. The kid idolizes you, Tony. I don’t think that he would ever replace you.” Was he jealous? When he thought of it again, he couldn’t deny that Pepper was right. Maybe he was, but just the smallest bit.

He chuckled weakly. “I hope you’re right.” It was of no use to hide his fears from her.

“Since when does Tony Stark has doubts concerning his person?” He could imagine that she raised her eyebrows at him, but since he was driving the car, he couldn’t look at her now.

“You know that I’ve been having lots of doubts this past year.”

“And I’m glad that you’re finally talking about them.” She said softly. “I was worried when you were shutting everyone out.”

He remembered that time too well. The time before and after his nearly breakup with Pepper. It had been a hard time for all of them. And ever since, the changes in their lives just wouldn’t stop. First the Mandarin, then his own struggles about being Iron Man. The break with Pepper, the downfall of SHIELD, the events concerning Bucky, Hydra and the peace conference in Vienna. Not to mention their personal problems.

“That time’s over.” He assured her and smiled slightly. For half a second, he looked at her. “Even I have to admit that talking about things is good for the soul.”

This made her laugh. “I’m glad you see it like this.”

“Sometimes, even Tony Stark has to admit when he’s wrong about something.”

“But only sometimes.” He could still hear the amusement in her voice. He was glad that they could talk about those things like this now, with humour instead of fear. At least sometimes.

“Yes, that’s true. After all, I’m nearly always right.” He muttered.

“A few years ago, you would have left out the nearly.” She remarked. Seeing her in such a good mood made his heart lighter. Even if this would be their last personal time for a few weeks. He refused to think of this any longer.

“I spent too much time with Steve.” Tony said simply. “It’s rubs off on me.”

“Don’t let Steve hear that. Otherwise, he might feel offended.”

He shook his head. “Cap knows when I’m joking. Most probably, he would just roll his eyes and laugh.”

“It’s still so surprising to see you two so at ease with each other.” Now Pepper sounded thoughtful. “When you first met, you were the biggest rivals.”

“Times change.” He said slowly. “You should know that.”

“I do.” She agreed. “We’ve got more changes in our lives than most others.”

“We do.” Tony agreed immediately. This reminded him of the conversation they had a few days earlier, about having children someday. In fact, they really didn’t talk about when they wanted to have children. They just agreed that it would never be easy. Tony just knew one thing. At the moment, he wasn’t ready for this. Not with Hydra and all those other threats hanging over them. First, things had to calm down again. And who knew, maybe the next threat would come right after that?

“What are you thinking?” Pepper’s voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

“Just that so much is happening right now.” He tried to avoid answering the question honestly.

“And…?” She asked patiently. Of course she already knew that he wasn’t telling her the whole truth.

“We’ve been talking about children recently. I wouldn’t be ready for that yet.” He kept his eyes on the road while saying it, but he could feel Pepper’s eyes on him. “With Hydra around, I couldn’t risk your safety. It’s difficult enough with you, how would it be possible with a child as well?” 

“As I said, it’s your decision as well.” Pepper said softly and he felt her hand on his for a few seconds. “Whenever you’re ready.”

When he glanced at her, he saw that she was smiling. He smiled back at her. “I love you.”

* * *

They arrived at the house half an hour later. It was just as beautiful as Tony remembered, but this time, the leaves of the trees weren’t green anymore. In fact, the trees had already lost most of them. The winter was nearly there. Maybe it would even snow soon.

Great, a mission in Alaska in winter. They should have dealt with it earlier. However, Tony didn’t want to think of this right now. Not when he was here, with Pepper, and it was their weekend alone.

Before they entered the house, they had a look at the lake. Had they just been here weeks ago? It felt like a lifetime. Tony took Pepper’s hand and squeezed it. She seemed to know exactly what he was thinking since she smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “It’s beautiful even in winter.”

“Yeah, it is, right?” He muttered and his lips twitched. He really should stop worrying, but somehow, it wasn’t so easy. Not with their next mission so close by. He’d always had doubts about Alaska, though Tony couldn’t explain why. And the others in the team had similar feelings. They were preparing for the worst.

“Don’t think of it right now, it will be alright.” Pepper ripped him out of his thoughts. “You’re thinking of that mission again.”

He sighed. “Why are you so good at reading my thoughts?”

“I know you.” She said simply, but she didn’t smile anymore. She frowned at him. “You’ve already had those doubts months ago. Do you think that means something?”

He shrugged. “Most probably, I’m just overreacting. And I infected the team with my fears. After all, a facility without technology is my worst-case scenario.”

“I thought you found a way to deal with it.” She muttered and he could see the confusion on her face.

“We did.” He agreed. “And we’re sure that it’ll work.”

“So you don’t have to worry.” She concluded.

He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not that easy.”

“I can make you forget.” Suddenly, Pepper was smiling mischievously and grabbed his shirt to pull him closer. She kissed him deeply before she started to pull him towards the house. “Let’s go inside, it’s getting cold.”

He followed her immediately. The only thing they did before they went to the bedroom was to make a fire. The heating was already running, but it was cold anyway. If they were going to live here someday, Tony would have to deal with that again.

All of his thoughts concerning that vanished the moment they reached the bedroom. Pepper had already taken off her jacket and now she started to undress him as well. While doing that, she grinned at him. “Did I ever tell you that you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen?”

He grinned widely. “You could say that more often.” He muttered and kissed her deeply before he pushed her towards the bed. They fell together, both laughing. “And you’re beautiful, not me.” He argued softly while he started to unbutton her blouse. “The years didn’t do me any good, with all those worries.”

She chuckled. “Don’t tell me that Tony Stark feels bothered by a few wrinkles.” As to make a point, she touched his face carefully. “I think you’re even more beautiful now than when we first met.”

He laughed loudly. “Don’t people normally say that beauty is endless?”

“Not for me.” She whispered and kissed him softly. “I’ve always wanted you.”

“Even when I’ve been an ass?”

There was a sly smile on her lips. “Maybe even then.” Suddenly, her hands were under his shirt and she pulled it over his head. Then she moved and she was sitting on top, straddling him. He could see the mischievous gleam in her eyes and couldn’t stop his excitement.

To his surprise, she didn’t kiss him again. Instead, her expression became soft and she placed both her hands over the big, ugly scar on his chest, where the Arc reactor had been once. “I love you, Tony.”

“I love you too, Mrs. Soon-to-be-Stark.” He smiled at her and in this moment, he remembered again what they were fighting for. Why it was so important that the Avengers were going to win the fight against Hydra and all the other possible threats that were to come.

“I can’t wait to marry you.” She was looking so happy right now, it made his heart beat faster.

“There will be hundreds of women who’ll be jealous.” He joked and she laughed again.

“Let them come, I can deal with all of them.” When she kissed him again, it felt like a very possessive gesture. “You’re mine.”

“All yours.” He agreed immediately and pulled her closer. “For as long as you want me.”

“Forever, then.” She muttered against his lips.

“My Pepper.” Tony replied and then they didn’t talk anymore.

* * *

Later, they were lying in bed together and just enjoyed each other’s company.

Tony smiled happily. Sometimes, he still wondered what he’d done to deserve a woman like Pepper by his side. She was far too good for him. However, she always emphasized that she only wanted him. It was still too good to be true.

“Maybe we can stop in LA on our way to Alaska.” He said without really thinking about it.

“You can’t.” She argued immediately, her voice sounding tired. “You have to deal with this as soon as possible.”

“I know.” He groaned. “It was just a thought.”

“I understand that you can’t always have time for me.” Pepper explained. “And this is really important. Just promise me that you’ll be safe.”

“I will.” He replied and tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach. What was wrong with him? Normally, missions didn’t worry him like this!

“Thank you.” She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. “I really wouldn’t know what I should do without you.”

“Going on.” He muttered slowly, not really wanting to think of this. Or what he might done if something happened to her.

“As if it would be that easy.”

“It wouldn’t.” He agreed. “But you couldn’t just stop living because of that. I wouldn’t want that.”

“I can only agree with that.” She whispered. “If it were the other way around.”

He kissed her. “Let’s not talk about this, everything will be fine. We’ll deal with this Hydra facility, then the Avengers will find the leaders and we’ll also deal with them. After that, we’ll go to a coronation in Wakanda and then we’ll marry. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“Perfect.” She placed a hand on his chest again, right above his heart.

“And now stop worrying.” This time, he was the one to say it.

When he began to distract her with kisses and she sighed happily, he knew that his strategy worked.

But why couldn’t he stop worrying?


	63. Chapter 63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“ _Alright, I’m going in now. I’ll let you know as soon as we’ve deactivated the machine._ ” Steve’s voice sounded through the comms. 

“ _And then the fun will begin._ ” Thor added lightly. 

“Please don’t destroy the building before we get a chance to go in.” Tony pleaded. “We have to make sure that we don’t miss anything important there.”

Next to him, Rhodey raised his eyebrows.  _He already did that?_ He formed the question with his lips and Tony grimaced with a nod. Yes, that happened before, but unfortunately, he was also to blame for this. He decided not to think of it now and ignored Rhodey’s questioning expression. 

It was a beautiful day, but Tony didn’t really care for the weather now. Today, they would deal with the Hydra facility in Alaska. The day he feared for months now. Unfortunately, the other Avengers also weren’t too happy. They shared Tony’s doubts about all this.

He was standing on a hill together with Rhodey, Bucky and Sam. They were all depending on technology, so they let the others go in first. Of course Sam could also fight without his Falcon suit, but it would hinder him which is why he’d agreed to stay behind as well. Which meant that Steve, Thor, Clint, Bruce and Natasha were trying to deactivate the device that enabled technology now. Tony and Bruce had built a transmitter that should do all the work, but Bruce wanted to make sure that the device didn’t start to work again. It would be fatal when Tony, Rhodey and Bucky were in its range. Bucky wouldn’t be able to use his arm anymore while Tony and Rhodey would be trapped in their suits, unable to move.

“I hate this.” Bucky muttered. “Knowing that the others are in there and not being able to help them.”

“Hey, that’s my line.” Sam teased. To all their surprise, Sam and Bucky were getting along well now. No one knew how Steve managed this and he refused to tell anyone. Well, except for Tony, of course. He’d locked Sam and Bucky into the gym, telling them that they need to sort out their argument. In the end, they did and it didn’t even take them more than two hours. Now they were friends.

Secretly, Tony was glad that Steve still shared secrets with him. He’d been afraid that Bucky’s sudden appearance and Sam would influence their friendship. However, Steve still said that Tony was his best friend and so far, nothing changed. Of course Steve also spent time with Bucky and Sam, but Tony always had the impression that Steve was behaving differently when they were around than he did with himself. And no, of course he wasn’t watching them secretly. He only did it twice. 

“I think we all don’t like staying here for now.” Tony threw in thoughtfully. He wasn’t looking at the others. He kept his eyes on the buildings in front of them. They were quite sure now what Hydra was doing there. Apparently, there were a few storerooms for weapons. Then the device for the technology and training rooms. Because Hydra was training their new recruits there. And it were many of them. Most probably more than one hundred. And those were only the ones the others had seen while watching the buildings a few weeks ago. However, there were even more rooms in the facility, Tony had found out about that after his weekend with Pepper. He’d decoded a few old plans and there was also the ground plan of Alaska.

However, they didn’t have a clue what happened in those rooms. That’s why Tony, Steve and Bucky would have a look at them once technology would work again. The Avengers would form three groups. Next to the first one, Natasha, Bruce and Clint would deal with the storerooms while Thor, Rhodey and Sam would deal with the Hydra agents. At least that was the plan for now. If too many soldiers were there, they had to change it spontaneously.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Rhodey asked. “Then we can’t go in. And I doubt that the others will be able to deal with everything alone.”

“They still have Thor and the Hulk.” Tony muttered. “But Cap will initiate the withdrawal then.” They’ve talked about this several times and they didn’t see another way. Without them, the others wouldn’t be able to deal with everything at once. “But let’s say that it’ll work.” He couldn’t give in to his fears, not now.

Tony had talked to Steve about it the previous evening. Steve had also doubts, but they had agreed not to show it. Most probably, they were just overreacting.

“How long will it take them?” Sam muttered and looked around restlessly.

“Depends.” Tony muttered.

“On what?”

“On how many people will get in their way.” Bucky answered the question. “Steve will try to injure as few as possible.”

“He always tries that.” Tony said quietly. “Doesn’t mean that it always works. And when it doesn’t, he blames himself. But it gets better with time. By now, he knows that you can’t always be nice to everyone.”

“Finally.” Sam muttered. “Sometimes, it was exhausting with him. Always trying to do the right thing for everyone.” While saying that, he glanced at Bucky, who looked down with a guilty expression on his face. However, it didn’t last long. Soon after that, they were all watching the building again. They could hear cries now which meant that the others have been seen. 

“When this is over, we’ll take a timeout in LA.” Rhodey muttered and ripped Tony out of his dark thoughts. “You remember the bar we went once? At the beach?”

“Wasn’t that the day when about three girls threw themselves at you?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

“Just because you didn’t want them.” Rhodey threw in. “Back then, you were already in love with Pepper.”

He had been. Hopelessly. Because he didn’t think that he had a chance with her. After all, she was far too good for him. And she still was, years after that.

“Maybe we can go there again. Watch the ocean, relax a little bit.”

“Sounds tempting.” He muttered.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of an explosion not far away. Tony cursed. “I told them not to blow up the whole place!”

“They didn’t.” Bucky said and pointed at the smoke. “I think they just made a way for us to get in easier.”

“You’re too optimistic.” Tony muttered.

“At least we know that they’re inside now.” Sam threw in.

“And that there’s a fight.” Rhodey added.

“ _Stop talking and get in here! We did it, though Bruce is still trying to disconnect the power supply of the generator._ ” Steve’s voice interrupted them. “ _So there’s still the risk that it might work again._ ” 

“ _There’s not, Cap. We did it._ ” Bruce said, sounding satisfied. 

“How did you do it?” Tony wanted to know and checked his weapons one last time.

“ _Thor cut the wires._ ” This time, Bruce didn’t sound happy anymore. “ _You can come now._ ” 

And so they did. Tony, Rhodey and Sam swung themselves into the air, while Bucky started to run. He’d refused to let them carry him. However, Tony didn’t have another choice when he saw many people with heavy weapons leaving the building. It might just be recruits, but they were armed. And Bucky couldn’t stand a chance against all of them.

“Give me your hand!” He said and luckily, Bucky reacted fast. Tony grabbed the metal hand tightly and lifted them into the air again. It wasn’t easy not to get shot with the extra weight, but Tony managed to get them to the building safely.

“Thank you.” Bucky muttered once they reached the ground and looked around.

Tony did the same. The whole complex looked like one big warehouse, but he’d already expected it. The interesting part of the whole facility was on its other end, underground. “This way.” He pointed out and Bucky followed him quickly. Soon they were joined by Steve who was holding his shield tightly.

Right after him came many Hydra soldiers. Tony and Steve didn’t need to say anything. Once they made eye-contact, Steve lifted the shield and Tony aimed at it. Bucky seemed to guess what they wanted to do since he jumped to the side quickly. The flash of Tony’s cannon was reflected by the shield and hit the men who were closest to them. The others seemed to think that they were safe, but Tony fired again. This time, he didn’t use Steve’s shield and aimed at the ceiling. It crashed down on them loudly, burying the soldiers under stones and pieces of wood.

“What’s the plan?” Tony asked.

“We’ll stick to it for now. Any objections?” Steve asked while they were already running again.

“ _We’re fine._ ” Natasha’s voice sounded through the comms. “ _Just arrived at the storerooms._ ” 

“ _And we’re having much fun here._ ” Thor added and Tony thought that he could hear the sound of thunder in the distance. 

“ _What Thor wants to say is that we’re fine for now._ ” Rhodey corrected him firmly. “ _You can go, we’ll tell you when we need help_.”

This was all the confirmation they needed. Together, Tony, Steve and Bucky ran towards the other end of the hall. Luckily, most soldiers were distracted by Thor, Rhodey and Sam, so they only had to fight two more times before they arrived at the unknown part of the facility.

It consisted of three rooms. One of them was on the main level, but two more were located underground. At least that’s what the plan said. And it was many years old. They had to be prepared for everything.

“What is all this?” Steve asked once they entered the first room. From what Tony could see, most of the things weren’t usable anymore.

“Looks like electronic waste.” He muttered. “JARVIS is scanning those, they can’t be used anymore.” When they looked around carefully, they found things that looked like old weapons, computers or other things even Tony couldn’t quite place. Steve was guarding the door with his shield while Tony and Bucky looked around. 

“Why do they still have those things?” Bucky asked and Tony could hear his confusion. And impatience.

“Seems like they used parts of the devices, most probably to create something new.” Tony said thoughtfully.

“The generator?” Bucky guessed.

He shrugged. “I’m not so sure, could be everything. They didn’t use something special.”

“There are soldiers getting closer.” Steve shouted over his shoulder. “Many of them. And they don’t look like new recruits. More like the Hydra agents we’ve fought before. The ones with a real plan!”

“Can you deal with them?” Tony asked. “Or should I go downstairs alone?”

Bucky looked back at Steve hesitantly as well.

“I’ll be fine, just go! I’ll let you know when I need help.” Steve sounded confident and raised his shield.

“Then let’s go.” Tony said to Bucky and together, they made their way to the stairs.

“If here are the important rooms, then why is no one guarding them?” Bucky asked quietly while they were walking downstairs. Tony didn’t need a lamp, but Bucky did. He was walking behind him and carried a small flashlight.

“Maybe they didn’t think that we know about them?” Tony suggested, but he already knew that it was stupid. They would never let these rooms unguarded. And they also knew that Tony could get into all their files easily. “Or this is a trap.” He added.

“I think so too.” Bucky muttered. “We have to be careful.”

Tony didn’t answer anymore. Instead, he just nodded quietly. He was tense and this time, the uneasy feeling wouldn’t vanish again. Before they entered the first room at the bottom of the stairs, Tony stopped. JARVIS scanned the room and when it was obvious that no one was there, Tony gestured for Bucky to follow him.

“Are those maps on the walls?” Bucky asked quietly.

“Yes, but I don’t know what they’re showing.” Tony had also noticed them. The walls were covered with maps of different parts of the world. Tony knew some of them, like the map of New York. There was a red circle and he knew immediately which building was there. The Avengers tower. He also saw the location of the former SHIELD base. It was marked black, with an x. “JARVIS, scan them and send the images to my private server.” He whispered. Somehow, he wasn’t so sure if he would get out of here with his suit. It was better to save those somewhere else. 

“This is Sokovia.” Bucky, who was standing in front of another map, whispered.

“Where’s Sokovia?” Tony asked and scanned the map as well.

“Eastern Europe.” Bucky sounded absent now. “I think I’ve been there, but I’m not so sure.”

Tony kept looking around. “There are more maps of that city.” He noticed. “Maybe it’s important.”

The sound of an explosion interrupted their conversation. The whole building was shaking and Tony knew that it couldn’t have been far away. He thought of Steve immediately.

“What was that?” Bucky looked alarmed now.

“Can’t be good.”

“Steve, do you need help?” Bucky asked now while Tony made his way to the next room.

“ _I could use a little help, that’s true._ ” Steve answered. He sounded strained. “ _But I think Sam and the others are already on their way here._ ” 

Bucky looked at Tony questioningly. “Can you deal with this alone?”

He nodded. “Go and help him.”

Bucky ran to the stairs again and Tony breathed in deeply. Why was the uneasy feeling getting even stronger, not that he was alone?

He turned to the next door. JARVIS had scanned all the maps and next to them, nothing else could be found here.

In the next room, Tony found many computers. They bathed the room in a cold light and he knew immediately that someone was there. JARVIS had found heat signatures. And there was something else he couldn’t quite place. A beeping sound, but so low that he could barely hear it.

“If you don’t want to get trapped in that suit of yours, it would be wise to step out of it now, Mr. Stark.” A cold voice said. It came from a corner of the room and Tony turned there immediately. “Because all technology in this room will be enabled in less than a minute.” He held up something and Tony noticed that it was a smaller version of the device Bruce had enabled upstairs.

Seeing no other choice, he let the suit go back into the reactor on his chest. Just in time because suddenly, the light of the computers vanished. Then another light appeared and Tony was able to see again. It was an oil lamp.

The man in front of him was smiling coldly. “A wise choice, Mr. Stark.” Only then Tony realized that he knew the man. Steve had told him stories about Baron Wolfgang von Strucker.

“Baron Strucker, isn’t it?” He asked, trying to let it sound lightly.

He looked actually surprised. “So you know me already. Then I can skip introducing myself.” Again, he smiled. “Now that we’re face to face, we can talk. Do you want to sit down?” He gestured at the many chairs in the room.

Tony remained standing. There was another door and he doubted that Strucker was alone here. “Thanks, but I prefer standing.”

Strucker nodded. “We were surprised when you showed up here today.” He began and Tony noticed that he also remained standing. “Of course we knew that there was the chance of you knowing about this facility, but we weren’t so sure. It was a fatal mistake to keep records of this in Santa Barbara.”

“So what are you doing here?” Tony asked. “Trying to take over the world?” Inwardly, he cursed. There was no way to call the others now. And the door behind him was locked now. Tony hadn’t even noticed that until now. There was no way back.

“First, we’re trying to get rid of the Avengers.” Strucker explained. “Because you keep preventing our plans from succeeding.”

“So you were prepared for us.” Tony concluded.

“Partly. It wasn’t plan that you can get in here that easily. Or that you know about these rooms.” Strucker didn’t sound happy.

“So this is where your most important information is gathered?” He raised his eyebrows. “I wouldn’t keep it in a dark cellar like this.”

“Easier to defend.” Strucker smiled. “I think you’ve already noticed that.”

Tony didn’t answer. He was already trying to figure out a way to get out of here. He looked at the device in Strucker’s hand, but he was also holding a knife. So bad idea. Especially when there were others around, which had to be the case since someone had closed the door.

“Why are you keeping me in here now? Wouldn’t it be easier just to kill me?” He asked coldly.

Strucker laughed. “That’s not the plan. We rather need a pressure medium.”

“If you’ll kidnap me, my friends will never leave you alone.” Tony said loudly. “They’ll find you and it won’t be nice.”

“Oh, they wouldn’t dare to. Because then, we would just kill you.”

“And they would come either way.” Tony shot back. “You don’t have a chance.”

“Neither do you.” Strucker muttered. Suddenly, the building was shaking again. So hard that both Tony and Strucker fell to the ground. Dust was trickling from the ceiling and Tony coughed. This was his only chance. He threw himself at Strucker.

However, he was prepared for the attack. Tony tried to get the knife out of his hands, but Strucker’s grip was too strong. Instead, Tony felt a pain in his left arm. Luckily, it was only a small cut.

Tony couldn’t tell how long they were wrestling with each other, but suddenly Strucker called out loudly. Tony just realized that it was a name when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Then everything turned black and he fell into darkness.


	64. Chapter 64

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Pepper was feeling restless. The entire day, a bad feeling had accompanied her. It had distracted her at work and now that she was at home, it was even worse. She was sitting on the couch, arms wrapped around her legs and looked out of the window without really seeing anything.

Today, the Avengers were dealing with the Hydra facility in Alaska. In the morning, Tony had written her a short text.

_Tomorrow, I’ll be home. Can’t wait so see you. I love you. – Tony_

She didn’t know how many times she’d already read it today, hoping that everything was alright. Because all the Avengers had a bad feeling about Alaska and what was waiting for them there. And with the time, Pepper had started to feel the same. It was very unusual that Tony didn’t take a mission lightly. In fact, he’d never been this negative about something before. Pepper really hoped that it didn’t mean anything. At the same time, she  _knew_ that it was important and that the others had to be careful. 

She looked at the clock again and sighed. Nearly eight in the afternoon. Outside, it was dark. Pepper considered finding something to eat, but she wasn’t hungry. The bad feeling was making her sick. She considered trying to contact Tony, but she also knew how dangerous that could be during a mission. JARVIS also couldn’t tell her anything. In fact, he didn’t even speak to her when she requested it. That made the uneasy feeling even worse, normally he was always available in the house, even when Tony wasn’t there.

Did something happen to him? Was he hurt? Or did the mission go wrong and the Avengers were in trouble? Pepper really hated sitting around and not being able to do anything. It was driving her crazy.

She reached for her phone again and was disappointed when there were no new messages. How many times had she stared at that screen today? At some point, she’d stopped counting.

Sighing loudly, she stood up and walked around aimlessly. At some point, she ended up in their bedroom. She really wished that Tony could be here with her. The past days, Pepper had missed him very much. They’ve talked on the phone a few times, but nothing else. The last time they talked, Tony had told her a story about Peter Parker and that he wanted to be part of the Avengers someday. Pepper wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, after all Peter was still a kid. And being an Avenger was a dangerous job.

She sat down on the bed and looked at the photographs on Tony’s nightstand. There were three. One showed himself together with Rhodey a few years ago when they got a medal together. And the two others showed Tony and herself together. One was on the charity gala her in LA this year and the other one was older. Pepper could still remember that day, they had been in New York together. In Central Park, to be more exact. There, the press had seen them and taken a photo. Tony had hacked their servers to get it for themselves because it was really beautiful. Then he’d deleted it from the website of the press. They’ve been furious and when they called, Pepper just pretended to know nothing of it. She smiled at that memory.

Suddenly, she heard a sound she knew too well. A suit landing in front of the house. For a short moment, she wondered why it was outside, but then she jumped to her feet and ran towards the door as fast as possible. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Rhodey walking towards her and not Tony.

He stepped out of the suit and the moment Pepper saw his face, she knew that something must have gone terribly wrong.

“Rhodey, where’s Tony?” She asked quietly and her voice was shaking. In fact, her whole body started to shiver. Where was Tony? And what did that sad look on Rhodey’s face mean?

“Pepper, let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.” Rhodey said calmly and ignoring her protests, he guided her back into the house carefully.

“Where’s Tony?” She asked over and over again, even if she already knew the answer. Gone. He wasn’t there. He didn’t return from the mission.

When they sat down on the couch, Rhodey closed his eyes and sighed. “It went all wrong.” He muttered darkly. “Not at first. There, it was all according to our plan. But they got backup, with cannons and other heavy weapons. Apparently, there was another building close by. Underground, of course, so we didn’t detect it. Once technology was working again, they were informed and came within an hour. We didn’t have a chance.”

“Where’s Tony?” She interrupted him sharply. “What happened?”

“They had another device. They took him, Pepper. We don’t know where he is now. And most probably, he’s injured. There was so much blood.” Rhodey looked heartbroken, but Pepper didn’t really notice it. She kept staring at him wide-eyed and wanted to yell at him, blame him for losing Tony, but the words just wouldn’t come out.

_They took him, Pepper. We don’t know where he is now._

They’d kidnapped Tony.

Hydra had Tony and he was injured.

After Afghanistan, she thought that this would never happen again.

And now it did. In a few minutes, Pepper’s whole world had broken down.

She saw that Rhodey’s lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear him anymore. Suddenly, the world started to turn around her and she felt really sick. Then Rhodey was shaking her carefully, which took her back to reality.

“The others are already trying to locate them, Pepper. We’ll find him, I promise. And we’ll bring him back to you.” She noticed that Rhodey didn’t sound that confident.

“Don’t promise me something you can’t keep.” She muttered flatly.

And then she began to cry.

* * *

About an hour after Rhodey’s sudden arrival, the other Avengers came. Well, some of them. Thor, Clint and Sam had stayed behind to wait for the reinforcements of SHIELD and the government (Rhodey had insisted on calling them, even if the Avengers weren’t too happy about that). They didn’t tell anyone that Tony had been kidnapped.

After Tony was taken, all Hydra soldiers had fled, leaving everything behind. Just the room in which Tony vanished was completely empty, except for the blood. The computers were gone, as well as Tony’s reactor with the suit. And the maps Tony and Bucky had seen were gone too. Luckily, Bucky could still remember most things they’d seen there. The copies were on Tony’s personal server now and even Pepper couldn’t get access to them. JARVIS blocked every attempt once Steve and Natasha convinced her to try it.

Pepper was devastated, just like the others. However, they were all able to remain calm while she just sat there and watched their interactions silently. Once the others arrived, Steve and Natasha had hugged her tightly, telling her that everything would be alright. Then Nat had stayed with Pepper while Bucky placed a hand on Steve’s shoulder and urged him to start planning their next steps. It was obvious that Bucky was the only one who could understand the pain Steve was in for losing his best friend. Pepper could see it in Steve’s eyes. She could understand him too well.

Now they were all in the living room, the Avengers still in their gear, and discussed what to do next. Rhodey had offered to accompany her to the bedroom, but Pepper wanted to stay. She needed to hear this, all the horrible details of the mission. And she also had to know what they would do next. Being alone now would drive her crazy. It felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. The pain was nearly unendurable.

Was Tony still alive? He was injured, that was for sure. Would Hydra kill him? Bucky was convinced that they would rather use him to put pressure on the Avengers. But was he right? The others seemed to think so too. At least they were talking about everything as if Tony was still alive.

Pepper closed her eyes and tried to breathe in deeply. In her mind, many images appeared. Tony smiling widely at her. His laugh and his many jokes. The way they’ve danced together on several occasions. The frown on his face when he was working on something in the lab. Their last weekend together, and the way he’d whispered her name.

Again, tears were clouding her vision. Even if all the others were around and Pepper hated to cry in front of others, she didn’t try to hold them back. It wouldn’t be of any use. Someone placed a hand on her shoulder and when she blinked a few times, she looked into Steve’s worried eyes.

“He’s still alive, I know it.” Steve whispered.

“I do, too.” Pepper muttered. And it was true. She would feel it if Tony would be gone, wouldn’t she?

“And we’ll find him. We’ve already got an idea where to start.” Steve sounded determined now and Pepper realized that this was what Tony called ‘Cap mode’. Then Steve sighed deeply. “It was my fault. I should have never let him go in there alone.”

“It was his decision, not yours.” Somehow, Pepper couldn’t blame Steve for this. She couldn’t even blame Bucky. “He always does what he wants.”

Steve chuckled sadly and blinked a few times. Only now Pepper realized that  _he_ was trying to hold back tears now. “That’s true.” And then Steve was hugging her tightly and they held each other, Pepper couldn’t tell for how long. 

Suddenly, someone cleared his throat loudly. They both looked up to see Bucky, who was looking a little uncomfortable. “Steve, we think we’ve found something.”

Steve breathed in deeply one last time and suddenly, the sad expression on his face was gone. This was Captain America, not Steve Rogers. “Did JARVIS find something in the files?”

“He did.” Bruce answered. “And it’s like Bucky said. Sokovia is mentioned several times.”

Steve frowned. “I’ve never heard of that city before.”

“Because it’s not really important. Except for SHIELD.” Natasha explained now.

They all stared at her. “SHIELD?” Steve repeated and raised his eyebrows.

She nodded. “I called Maria Hill. And apparently, SHIELD has been active in Sokovia many years ago. Just that she suspects that it was Hydra all along. After all, they were working undercover within SHIELD.”

“And why didn’t she tell you this sooner?” Rhodey asked angrily. “Apparently, it’s important to you.”

“Maria also just got to know this.” Natasha said. “I don’t know how she got that information, but she says the source is reliable.”

Suddenly, there was a strange expression on Steve’s face. Like he knew something the others didn’t. But except for Pepper, no one seemed to notice it. And it was gone rather quickly.

“Then we’ll trust her.” Steve decided. “JARVIS, can you get more information about Sokovia? And maybe you can try to track Tony’s suit?”

“ _I am already collecting information about Sokovia, Captain Rogers. And the suit of Mr. Stark can’t be found at the moment, the source of power is not working. I will inform you once this changes._ ” JARVIS informed them. 

“Thank you.” It was strange to hear Steve talk to JARVIS instead of Tony. The pain in Pepper’s chest got stronger again at this thought. _Please Tony, be alive. And hang on, they will find you._ She thought and even if she rarely did it, Pepper began to pray. 

The Avengers began to talk about Sokovia now and what they would do there, but Pepper didn’t really listen anymore. She began to feel tired, even if she already knew that nightmares would haunt her.

“I’ll stay with Pepper here in Malibu.” Rhodey’s voice ripped her out of the trance.

“What do you mean?” She asked, confused by this statement. “You have to go with them.”

“I won’t leave you alone.” Rhodey said sternly. “Not in a situation like this.” Not again, his words seemed to say. Years ago, Rhodey had left to search for Tony in Afghanistan.

“I’ll be fine.” Pepper tried to convince him. “I’ve got Happy. And besides, I’ve got to work. There’s an important meeting soon. You don’t have to stay here for me.”

“But someone should.” Steve agreed.

“Happy.” Pepper repeated. “We’ll be fine. Just like last time.”

Steve and Rhodey exchanged a look, but in the end, they gave in.

“We’ll leave tonight.” Steve said. “We can sleep in the jet. Doing it here would take too much time. Tony needs us.”

The Avengers all agreed immediately. And then the planning began again. Pepper still listened when Steve informed Sam and the others about their plan and they agreed to meet somewhere on the way to Europe.

However, in the course of the planning, Pepper fell asleep. And just like she expected, nightmares were haunting her. Of Tony. She saw him in chains, or lying on the ground, a knife in his chest. There were more images, each one more horrible.

When she woke up, she was lying in her bed. She reached out for Tony next to her, but of course the bed was empty. The pain in her chest returned with full force. There was a piece of paper on the cushion next to her.

_Pepper, we left. I’ll inform you once we find him. And we will, we are sure of that. Stay safe, Happy is also informed. He should be in the living room. And don’t be mad that I carried you to bed, I couldn’t leave you on the couch. – Rhodey_


	65. Chapter 65

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Warning: Mentioning of torture in this chapter.
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

When Tony woke up, he was in chains and his whole body was hurting.

First, he was disorientated and couldn’t remember what happened anymore. The only thing he remembered clearly was sitting in the jet with the Avengers. They’d been on their way to Alaska and he’d written one last text to Pepper, thinking that he would see her again soon.

And just like that, the memories returned with full force.

The base and the rooms he’d explored with Bucky and Steve. A room full of maps, showing different parts of the world. And then Baron Strucker and the second device enabling all technology. Of course Tony had stepped out of his suit, there hadn’t been another choice. And then his struggle with Strucker, which ended with a pain in his chest.

Tony noticed that he was lying on something soft and when his eyes got used to the darkness in the room, he realized that it was a small bed. Next to that, there were only a chair and a table in the room. No windows, nothing. His arms were tied behind his back, so were his legs. He was unable to move.

Slowly, he looked down at himself. The wound on his chest was hurting terribly and it made it even difficult to breathe. The only thing Tony saw were bandages, but they looked darker in one place. Most probably, directly above the wound. Did they stab him with a knife? If they did, they’d missed his lungs and his heart. Otherwise, he doubted that he’d be still alive. Why did they even bandage it?

Then he remembered Strucker’s words.  _We rather need a pressure medium_ . Of course, how stupid of him to even consider that they would just kill him. They needed him alive, to control Steve and the others. If he wouldn’t have felt so bad, Tony might have laughed. Steve and the others would never give in to any demands of Hydra. They would find a way to get Tony out of here, and in the course of that, they would bring down Hydra as well. 

Tony just hoped that he would live through all this to see it. He was feeling dizzy, most probably from the loss of blood. And they seemed to have bandaged the wound, but not more. How long could he last without someone taking care of that?

He tried not to think of it and looked around again. Maybe he could figure out a way to get out of this room. And contacting the others would be great. If he’d just have his suit… But he was sure that it was still in Alaska, buried under lots of dirt. Hydra would never take it, especially since they couldn’t do anything with it. It only reacted to Tony’s voice, not even Pepper could use it.

When he thought of Pepper, a different kind of pain appeared in his chest. More a heartache than anything else. Where was she now? And did she already know what happened? If the others got out there in time, they would have told her what happened for sure. Rhodey would never lie to Pepper about this. And Steve as well. He closed his eyes and tried not to think of the pain she must be in, knowing that he was captured. Again.

What was he going to do now? He couldn’t just lie here and wait for his captors, could he? But did he have another choice? He tried to move his hands, but it wasn’t that easy. They had tied him with rope and it was cutting into his skin. Maybe he could untie the knot, but then he would also have to move his shoulders. And the wound on his chest made that nearly impossible.

Again, he looked around. The only light in the room came through the window of the door, otherwise it was dark. And Tony couldn’t make out anything that could help him right now. He groaned and let his head sink back onto the mattress. He really hated situations like this! Back in Afghanistan, at least he hadn’t been alone, but now he was. And unable to move. Somehow, his thoughts wandered back to Yinsen and their time in that cave. Tony couldn’t explain why this came to his mind now. And of course he thought of the reactor, which luckily wasn’t in his chest anymore. Otherwise, he would definitely have died in that room.

How long ago has that been? Yesterday? Or did more time pass since their mission? He sighed in frustration. Apparently, he would really have to wait.

About two hours later, Tony finally heard footsteps and the door to his prison cell was opened. To his surprise, he didn’t hear a key. Was the door really unlocked? However, that wouldn’t help him. Not when he was in this state and his hands and legs were tied together.

Baron Strucker entered the room, followed by another man Tony didn’t recognize. Most probably just another Hydra agent, by now there were dozens of them. Strucker smiled widely and stopped directly in front of the bed.

“I see you’re finally awake. That’s good.” Strucker said loudly. The echo of his words rang in Tony’s ears. “You’ve been asleep for nearly two days, Mr. Stark. Your condition was very bad, but we have been able to stop the bleeding.” He looked at Tony’s bandages with a frown. “Well, most of it anyway. You’re still alive, that’s what counts for now.”

“Where are we?” Tony asked, but the only response he got was laughter from both men in front of him.

“I see you don’t understand how this works yet.” Strucker said and now the smile on his lips was cold. “In here, _I_ am asking the questions and you just have to answer.” At his words, the other man took a step closer. 

Tony tried to stay calm, but somehow, it didn’t work. Which was unusual. Normally, he didn’t really care if he was in danger or not. But this threatening gesture made his heart race. Maybe it was also because he was already wounded and in pain. “So ask.” He muttered and was glad that his voice was calm.

Strucker laughed again. “I will, Mr. Stark. Don’t worry about it. But first, I want to tell you that it wasn’t our plan to injure you like this. One of my men lost his temper when it started to get hectically. Instead of injecting you a sleeping drug, he stabbed you with a knife.”

Tony glared at the man behind Strucker, but he shook his head. “It wasn’t him. He already paid for this, believe me.” The look on Strucker’s face told Tony enough. Whoever made that mistake, he wouldn’t be able to do anything ever again.

“So now let us come to business.” Strucker said formally. “If you’re really this interested in our location, we’re in Sokovia. Hydra has been working here for years now, within SHIELD. Peace in this part of the continent was an excuse to build a facility here. Just that it never was for peace. Luckily, SHIELD’s leaders were never interested in Sokovia. Otherwise, they might have noticed that we were working here secretly.”

While Strucker was talking, Tony looked at him and the other man closely. However, he didn’t see anything that could help him for an escape plan. Until he noticed that Strucker had placed something on the table when they entered the room. It was his arc reactor. So they really took it back in Alaska.

“There are a few things I want to ask you, Mr. Stark. Just out of interest, of course. You’ve crossed a few of our plans lately, together with your friends. However, I have to add that we also crossed some of yours.” Now Strucker was grinning.

“Get to the point.” Tony muttered darkly, not wanting to hear his endless talks anymore.

His words wiped the grin from Strucker’s lips and he shook his head. “One more time and you’ll see what happens to people who interrupt me.” Again, the other man took a step forward. “So let me continue where I stopped. Yes, the plans. Was it a surprise to you that a part of Hydra has survived within SHIELD? To your friend Steve Rogers it was. Especially when he saw our most dangerous weapon. Which you took from us, by the way. How is Mr. Barnes now? I assume he will not return to us anymore?”

Tony stared at Strucker silently. Of course they knew that Bucky was with them now, they’d kept an eye on the events in Vienna.

“Now you can answer, Mr. Stark.” Strucker sighed just as if he was talking to a child.

“He’s one of us now. And I think he never enjoyed working for you. Obviously.” Tony said loudly and fought back the urge to add a few nasty comments.

To his surprise, Strucker looked really disappointed. “What a pity. He always did his work very well. Not like Craig. You captured him on his second mission.”

This surprised Tony. Especially after all the files he’d seen about the missions. And he’d killed his parents…

Apparently, Strucker had seen something on his face since he laughed again. “So you know it!” He exclaimed with excitement. “Howard Stark and his wife. A car accident, that was really excellent work. No one even noticed that something was wrong about it! Back then, Craig was also really good, however something must have gone wrong within the years.” He shrugged. “Now tell me, how do you feel? Knowing that we were responsible for their deaths? Does it make you sad? Or angry?” Strucker’s grin got even wider. “Oh you  _are_ angry, Mr. Stark. Did you know that your father died first? Your mother called out his name and she cried. Pleaded for mercy. But in the end, it didn’t help her.” 

With all his strength, Tony tried to sit up. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do if it worked, but he had to try either way. The words were repeating themselves in his head. Knowing that his parents were killed was one thing. But knowing that his mother…

_Then you shouldn’t let vengeance consume you._ Suddenly, he heart T’Challa’s voice in his head. His usual calm tone, even if many emotions had been running through his head back then. After all, he’d also lost his father to Hydra. 

Breathing in deeply, Tony let himself fall back onto the mattress. Because of his movement, the pain in his chest had gotten stronger again. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his heartbeat. Over that, he nearly didn’t hear the laughter of the two other men.

“You would love to punch me right now, don’t you? To step into your suit and have a real fight.” Strucker sounded amused. “I don’t think that will work. We already tried, but it seems like your suit’s been destroyed in the course of our sudden departure.” He gestured at the reactor on the table. “No energy, nothing. What a useless technology.”

Tony cursed silently. Without a suit, he would never get out of here. Not even if the others arrived in time. Which they most probably wouldn’t. He could feel the blood running down his chest again. Apparently, his attempt to move had reopened the wound.

“Oh look, he’s bleeding again.” Strucker said and the pity in his voice was clearly faked. “You should stay calm, Mr. Stark. Otherwise, you might not survive long enough until we get a chance to contact your friends.”

“They would never talk to you.” Tony muttered darkly. Before he could really realize what was happening, someone had grabbed his shoulders and yanked him off of the mattress. Suddenly, he felt himself being pressed against the cold wall.

“I told you that I don’t like to be interrupted.” Now Strucker’s voice was as cold as ice. “You should better remember that Mr. Stark.” The other man threw Tony back onto the mattress. He was stronger than expected and Tony groaned. The pain in his chest and the dizzy feeling were getting even stronger and for a few moments, he didn’t see or hear anything. When his vision finally cleared, Strucker was already talking again.

“…so you should keep that in mind. Now tell me, what do we have to do to make the Avengers stay out of our business?” This time, he really sounded curious.

“Won’t work.” Tony muttered slowly. “It’s our job to stop people like you.”

“People like me.” Strucker laughed again. “Says someone who produced weapons for years. Who’s got even more blood on his hands than we do.”

“I’m trying to make it up again.” Tony said and then he was lifted up again. This time, he landed on the floor.

“No, you’re not. You’re just doing what you like. But let’s not talk about that. You’re running out of time. Maybe we could bandage your injury again, but just if you’re willing to cooperate. Then you could stay alive to see your friends suffer as well. How do you think would they take the news of your death? Would they be sad or angry? Or both? I bet a few people would even miss the great Tony Stark.” When Tony remained silent, Strucker continued. “A good choice. Which facilities do you know of, next to Alaska? I bet you’ve hacked into many of our files. After all, you’re a clever man.”

Tony’s mind was racing. They knew of a few more facilities and on his server was the map with all of them. However, he had to stay alive so they could be opened. He had to buy himself more time. Most probably, Steve and the others were already on their way. Bucky had seen the maps of Sokovia too, he would know that they were hiding here. At least Tony hoped that.

“Hacking your servers took more time than you think.” He muttered and noticed the strange taste in his mouth for the first time. Tony knew immediately that it was blood. “Alaska was the last one for now, after that we wanted to make new plans.”

When someone kicked him, he couldn’t hold back the pained gasp any longer. “I also hate liars.” Strucker said calmly.

“Alright, five more.” Tony gave in and told them the coordinates. When he finished, Strucker sighed.

“You’re better than that, Mr. Stark. And your team as well. You would have never just went to our smallest locations.”

Again, the pain in his back.

“So now tell me again, what were your plans?”

“Alaska was the main problem!” Tony said as loud as possible. “And it went all wrong, didn’t it?”

“You can’t tell me that you didn’t plan further than that.” He could hear the frown in Strucker’s voice.

“But we didn’t!” Tony exclaimed. “We knew that it wouldn’t be easy.”

“You have such a big team, you must have had other plans.” So Strucker really didn’t believe him.

“Believe whatever you want.” Tony muttered and closed his eyes. When the next punch came, he thought of Pepper.

* * *

When they finally left the room, Tony was still lying on the floor, covered in his own blood. Lots of it. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were still closed. However, through all the kicks and punches, the rope around his hands had loosened and he was able to move them again. This time, the light outside of the door had also vanished. He couldn’t hear anything, which meant that he was completely alone.

He tried to sit up slowly and was surprised when it worked. Then he grabbed the blanket from the bed and pressed it onto his wound. He had to stop the damn bleeding!

“JARVIS?” Tony asked loudly and the reactor which was still lying on the table began to glow in a faint light.


	66. Chapter 66

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

Steve was nervous. Nearly two days had passed since they’d lost Tony in Alaska. Two days without any sign from him or Hydra. They didn’t even know if Tony was still alive. Neither did they know where he was now.

After a short pause in Malibu to inform Pepper about the events, the Avengers had left again. This time, they were heading to Europe. They all agreed that Sokovia was the best choice, even if they didn’t know if anything was there at all. However, they didn’t have a better idea. The Avengers still didn’t know the locations of all Hydra bases. Bucky had told them that there was a map, but only Tony could get it from his personal server. They had to make the decision without any help. Steve just hoped that Tony was really there. It would destroy him to know that they were in the wrong place and couldn’t save him in time. Because it looked like Tony didn’t have much time. Back in Alaska, there had been so much blood…

Now they were all in the jet, they’d landed somewhere in Sokovia. However, they didn’t know what to do now. At the moment, Sam and Clint were outside, having a look at the closest city. Except for Tony, the team was complete. Even Rhodey, who wasn’t really part of the Avengers, was there. This time, they wouldn’t lose someone. They were determined to save Tony and stop Hydra at the same time.

When Steve had first noticed that Tony was missing, he couldn’t believe it. Bucky had apologized over and over again, but Steve barely heard him. His best friend was gone, captured by their enemy. And he was also injured. He’d cursed loudly and let his anger consume him. Maybe he’d destroyed a few more parts of the building, but in that moment, Steve didn’t care. It had been his plan to split up. And now Tony had to take the consequences for it. Bucky had also told him to stop blaming himself, but it wasn’t that easy. 

And then there was Pepper. She was devastated and Steve didn’t want to think of what might happen if Tony didn’t return to her. Somehow, he feared that it would destroy her completely. She was a very strong woman, but even the strongest ones couldn’t take everything. He was glad that Happy was watching over her now, Rhodey had insisted to come with them. After all, Tony was also his best friend.

“Steve, stop running around!” Natasha’s sharp voice took him back to reality. “It won’t make anything better!” He stopped immediately and looked at her. There was a frown on her face and he realized that Nat was worried. Not just for Tony, but also for him.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I just can’t stand not being able to do anything.”

“We all hate that, believe me.” Bruce muttered darkly. Ever since Tony vanished, he was in a bad mood. They tried not to anger him even more, out of fear that the other guy would show himself. To Steve’s surprise, it was Natasha who could keep Bruce calm in critical moments. Tony had already told him once that they were very close, but except for a few looks, noting had ever happened. At least that’s what Steve thought.

“Sam and Clint will be back soon.” Bucky tried to calm him down as well. “I bet now they’ve good news.”

“Sokovia isn’t such a big country, I’m sure we will find Hydra’s hiding place.” Natasha agreed immediately.

“You said that in the last four places as well.” Steve muttered and crossed his arms. Until now, their search had been unsuccessful. Of course they’d looked into some files first, but all the possible hiding places for Hydra had been empty. On the list were a few more, but Steve doubted that they would find the right place soon. Since they’d decided against splitting up, the search was horribly slow. Especially since the Avengers couldn’t just storm into cities in a country that was known for wars and terror. So only two or three members went into a city to look at it.

For some time, they all sat there in silence, everyone lost in his or her own thoughts. Bruce was reading more Hydra files on a tablet. He said that it would be their best chance to find Tony. Now that they knew what they were looking for, there had to be a sign of Sokovia. Or another city, but that would mean they were in the wrong place…

When Sam and Clint returned, they had bad news. They didn’t find anything in the city, just as Steve had expected. They were just discussing what to do next when Bruce gasped loudly.

“I think I’ve found something!” He exclaimed and they all gathered around him. “It’s an old report of a Hydra agent about a mission in Europe. At the end, he explains where he had to drop the object he had to get. He doesn’t name the city, but he describes it. I’ve done some research and it would all fit to Novi Grad, the capital of Sokovia. And he calls it the Hydra headquarter! The place where all their operations are planned.”

Steve’s heart began to race at Bruce’s words. Could this really be the right place? If their headquarter was there, they would surely bring Tony there. Suddenly, Steve realized that the others were all looking at him now. “Can you locate the place within the city?”

Bruce shook his head. “No, he doesn’t write anything about it. Just that it’s surrounded by trees. Just like everything else in this country”

“But that means it isn’t a place within the city.” Rhodey noted. “There are too many buildings. And I bet Hydra wants some privacy.”

Steve looked at Clint. “Let’s go there.”

Clint nodded with a determined expression on his face and started the jet. The others checked their gear again.

“How will we find the base?” Sam asked quietly while the others were still busy. “I mean, we can’t search the entire forest. This country is one big forest!”

Steve looked at Bucky. “You said you’ve been here before.”

He hesitated. “I’m not sure, Steve. You know that I can’t remember everything.”

“Now would be a good moment to manage that.” Steve snapped without really thinking of it. Slowly, he was losing his patience. They had to find Tony!

When Bucky just stared at him, Steve sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to shout at you.”

“It’s fine.” Bucky threw in. “I know how important he is to you. You’re under lots of pressure at the moment. And I’ll try to remember anything, but there’s no guarantee that it’ll work.”

“I know.” Steve said immediately. “And thank you.”

With a small smile, Bucky sat down and closed his eyes.

“Guys, we’re there. But I can’t just fly in circles here. I need to land somewhere!” Clint announced and Steve went to look over his shoulders.

“There, the clearing close to the mountains? Nothing’s close to it. If they’re really here, they shouldn’t see us coming.” He suggested after a few moments and Clint nodded. The jet was already getting closer to the ground when a beeping sound distracted them all.

Steve looked around hectically. “What is this?” The others were also searching for the source of the noise, but no one was able to find it. Until Rhodey held up a small object.

“Tony’s phone.” Rhodey muttered dumbfoundedly.

“Don’t stare at it, do something!” Steve demanded loudly and when Rhodey touched the display, it began to glow in a faint light.

“ _Mr. Stark requires assistance._ ” JARVIS’ voice came through the speakers. “ _He is locked in a Hydra base not far from your location. Next to that, he is gravely injured and needs medical help._ ” 

Steve exchanged a look with the others. “Then what are we waiting for?”

“I’ll organize a doctor.” Rhodey muttered and handed the phone to Steve. Then he stepped to his suit and it sounded like he was calling someone.

“ _The Hydra base is protected by a complicated system._ ” JARVIS continued. “ _I already scanned it and it can’t be broken from the outside._ ” 

“What system?” Bruce demanded to know and frowned. “Nothing like Alaska, otherwise Tony wouldn’t be able to contact us.”

“ _It’s a shield that prevents others from getting too close to the base._ ” Suddenly, the jet began to move again and Steve stumbled. He didn’t even notice that Clint had left their circle around Tony’s phone. 

“And what are we going to do now?” Steve muttered darkly. “We need to help Tony.”

“ _Well, that’s where my part in this begins, Cap._ ” Tony’s voice answered instead of JARVIS. He sounded breathless and like he was in pain, but there was something else in his voice. Steve thought that it was relief. 

“Tony, how are you?” He asked immediately while the others were also asking questions. He doubted that Tony could understand anything that was said right now.

“ _I’ll be fine, doesn’t matter at the moment. Look, I’m going to deactivate the system so you can come in. But Steve, Baron Strucker is here. He’s leading everything, we have to get him. This is our best chance. And they’re doing something huge here, though I don’t know what it is yet._ ” 

“You’re not going to do anything! You’re injured, Tony!” Steve snapped and there was a weak laugh.

“ _Seems like I don’t have a choice. Otherwise, you also can’t get in so that it’ll be the end of me anyway._ ” Tony sounded tired now and Steve exchanged a worried look with the others. “ _I’ll give you a sign when the shield is deactivated. And then I might really need your help here._ ” If Tony already admitted that he might need help it was bad. Really bad. A look at the faces of the others told Steve that they knew this as well. 

“A special team is on its way.” Rhodey joined them again. “Tony, we’ll be there soon. Hold on!”

There was no answer and they all exchanged worried glances again. When it was obvious that Tony wouldn’t say anything else, the Avengers got ready to fight.

* * *

Moving was even more painful than Tony expected. He’d tried to bandage his wound as good as possible and now it wasn’t bleeding anymore. However, he couldn’t move too fast, otherwise it would start again. And his whole body was hurting, he would have loved just to close his eyes and sleep now. But that was the last thing he should do.

Instead, he stepped into his suit and left the room quietly. Moving around in the base wasn’t too difficult. Tony could pass three rooms until he finally found his guards if they even had this function. Most probably, they didn’t expect Tony to ever leave that room again.

He listened to their conversation for a short while and found out that this whole place was guarded by a system. It prevented outsiders from going in. Every time someone came, the shield had to be deactivated and that only lasted for about five minutes. How on earth should the other Avengers get in? And did they even know that Tony was here? Maybe they were still who knows where and looking for him. He hoped that he was wrong about this.

Even in his injured state it wasn’t too difficult to trick his guards and tie them up. However, they also weren’t expecting him. Tony was sure that it would change soon. He had to move and find the source of that damn shield! On his way, he contacted the others and let them know that he was alright. Or at least alive. And he also told them about the system that guarded the base. From JARVIS, he already knew that he and the Avengers were in Sokovia, not too far away from each other. So they would arrive soon. Which meant that Tony had to act fast.

He'd been so relieved when he’d heard their voices. Until now, he’d felt completely alone. In that dark room, he’d even asked himself if he should keep fighting. This state only lasted for a few minutes, but the thoughts had been there. However, he’d thought of Pepper and the others and all the happy moments they’ve spent together. That made him want to fight again.

Luckily, he had his suit now. Without it, Tony wouldn’t even have known how to contact the others. And most probably, he wouldn’t have been able to leave that room. He felt like the suit was the only thing that kept him from falling again. While he moved around, JARVIS was hacking into Hydra’s systems. That gave Tony a plan of the building he was in and he knew where he had to go. However, he had to stop regularly. JARVIS had already calculated the time that was left until he fell unconscious. A maximum of two hours, and that only if he remained calm. Which he couldn’t. 

JARVIS was also scanning for heat signatures of other people so Tony could avoid meeting anyone. He just hoped that no one would have the idea to look into his cell again, then they would know immediately that he was gone. And he just couldn’t put up a fight now.

Just before he arrived in the control rooms, which were most probably crowded with Hydra agents, Tony heard voices.

“That’s the problem! We can’t control it. We’ve tried so many things, but it doesn’t work.” A man’s voice said loudly and Tony hid behind the next corner.

“Then you have to try something else!” At the sound of the other man, Tony shivered. It was Baron Strucker. “We don’t have much time left, they will come for him. Barnes will surely remember this place and lead them here. We need the scepter!”

The scepter. Loki’s scepter? The one that SHIELD took in New York? Just that it hadn’t been SHIELD but Hydra.

“If something goes wrong, this whole place could explode!” The other man muttered darkly. “We can’t just use it.”

“If we don’t use it, this base will be destroyed anyway!” Strucker said sharply. “The Avengers are coming and the team has more members than before.”

“Won’t they try to rescue Stark first?”

“They’re so many people, I’m sure they’ll split up. We need to prepare our next move against them.” Strucker explained. He sounded really annoyed. And stressed. They were walking past Tony without noticing him. “Go and get the scepter, we’ll meet in the entrance hall in twenty minutes.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“Making sure that no one will be able to rescue Tony Stark.” The last thing Tony heard before the steps vanished was Strucker’s cold laugh.

When he was sure that they wouldn’t come back, Tony kept moving. “JARVIS, tell the others that the scepter’s here. We need to get it. And Hydra’s waiting for them.” He whispered quietly and breathed in deeply when he finally reached the control room. According to JARVIS, only one person was there.

The plan was easy. Knock out the man, deactivate the system and give the Avengers a sign. The first two points worked pretty well, but then something unexpected happened. Tony was just deactivating the system when the door to the control room opened with a loud bang. A young man came in and first, he didn’t even seem to notice that something was wrong. “You have to check the camera’s, I just got a call from Strucker! Stark’s gone. With the reactor.” 

He stopped when Tony turned to him. The eyes of the man widened in horror, but then Tony had already grabbed him and slammed him against the next wall. He sank to the ground, unconscious. Inwardly, he cursed. So they knew that he was gone now. And that he had the suit. What was he going to do now? JARVIS was already informing the others that they could get in now, so shouldn’t he just leave as fast as possible? Tony knew that he couldn’t last much longer.

But Strucker was here and they had Loki’s scepter. It was important to make sure that it didn’t stay with Hydra. With the scepter, it would be even more difficult to stop them.

Tony checked the cameras of the building quickly and noticed that many Hydra agents were on their way to the control room at the moment. And he saw something else which made his lips twitch weakly. The Avengers were on their way here, even if they had to deal with lots of resistance.

“ _Tony, can you hear me? We’re nearly there, hold on!_ ” Steve’s voice said suddenly. 

“ _And more help is on its way!_ ” Rhodey added. “ _We’re coming in!_ ” 

“ _With that, he means himself, Steve and me._ ” Sam muttered, sounding strained. “ _Not everyone here can fly, after all._ ” For half a second, Tony imagined the three of them together, flying over Hydra’s troops. Rhodey and Sam were each holding one of Steve’s hands. If the situation wouldn’t have been so bad, Tony might have laughed. 

“It’s great to hear from you guys, but we have a problem. Strucker wants to use the scepter against you and they know that I’m not in the cell anymore. They want to act in the entrance hall.”

“ _We’ll deal with him._ ” Steve sounded determined. “ _Rhodey will get you out of here, Tony._ ” 

Of course they didn’t want him to help. Tony knew that he should just leave as fast as possible, but he wasn’t feeling well with that thought. He had to do something! He glanced at the screens again and noticed something that caught his interest. “Look, I have an idea.”

“ _Tony, we need to get you to the next hospital!_ ” Rhodey argued immediately. 

“We will leave soon. Just make sure that you’ll get the scepter from Strucker. And then run as fast as possible.” Tony was talking fast now and he was already typing on the keyboard again. “And tell the others to run too. This whole place will be blown up.”

“ _I hate your ideas!_ ” Sam complained. 

“ _Tony, are you sure that this will work and that you can get through this?_ ” Steve sounded concerned. 

“I am.” He lied. “I see that you’re nearly there. And Strucker will also arrive soon. Be careful guys.” He breathed in deeply. “JARVIS, I just want to talk to Rhodey now.”

“ _Tony, what’s going on? This is insane!_ ” His friend said loudly. 

“Rhodey, if I don’t make it, please tell Pepper that I love her.” He whispered and pressed the last button. Then he left the control room to carry out the last step of his plan.


	67. Chapter 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

The first thing he heard when he woke up was a beeping sound. A very regular sound, just like someone’s heartbeat. It took him a moment to realize that that’s what it was. His heartbeat. At the realization, it fastened. Just like the beeping.

The next thing he realized was that he was lying in a bed. A very soft bed. Too soft for a hospital. And the typical sounds weren’t there, the hectic background noise of a hospital.

So where was he? And what happened? The last thing Tony remembered was leaving the control room in the Hydra base in Sokovia, wanting to destroy the whole place. The Avengers had been there, and Rhodey. They wanted to save him, however he didn’t know if that was even possible. He’d been sure that he would die there. With all his injuries and the situation in general, he didn’t have any hope to leave that place alive.

And yet here he was. Somewhere safe, in a warm and soft bed. And he wasn’t even feeling that bad. Which was a surprise. After all, he’d been stabbed in the chest, beaten up several times and he’d been far too close to a very big explosion.

How was he still alive? Wait, he wasn’t even feeling that bad?

Slowly, Tony opened his eyes. The room he was in was very familiar. Too familiar, to be exact. He was in the hospital wing of the tower in New York.

And at first sight, he was completely alone. No one was sitting at his bed and holding his hand. Or sleeping there in one of those uncomfortable chairs they had bought just for this reason. When he turned his head slowly, he noticed that he was wrong. There was someone in the room with him.

Steve was standing at the window and looked at the city. Tony couldn’t see his face, but from the tension in his shoulders, he knew that his friend wasn’t happy. How much time had passed since their trip to Sokovia? And how did they manage to get him here from Europe, considering in which state he’d been? And why wasn’t he feeling like he was going to die soon anyway? 

Somehow, Steve had sensed that something changed. Or he’d noticed the change of speed of the beeping. He turned around slowly, a frown on his face. When he saw that Tony was awake and looking directly at him, his eyes widened and he walked to the bed as fast as possible.

“Tony, finally you’re awake! How are you feeling?” Steve’s voice was shaking slightly and he could hear two things there. Relieve and concern.

He smiled slightly, still confused by the whole situation. “How long have I been gone?” His voice was rough and when he coughed, Steve handed him a glass of water. He smiled at him gratefully and emptied the whole glass at once.

“About a week has passed since our trip to Sokovia.” Steve explained and sat down on the uncomfortable chair. Only now Tony noticed the dark rings under his eyes, together with how defeated he looked in general.

“I’ve been gone for a week?” He’d expected it to be much longer. “What happened?”

Steve closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “You blew up the whole building, Tony.”

“That was the plan.” He replied immediately. “Even if I wasn’t sure if it would work.”

When Steve looked at him again, his expression was angry. “Do you have any idea how difficult it was for us to get you out there alive? You were nearly dead when Rhodey found you!”

“It was the only way.” Tony said, even though he knew that it was a lie.

“No, it wasn’t.” Steve said sternly. “You could have waited for us. We would have dealt with it together, as a team.”

“You mean _you_ would have dealt with it while Rhodey would have taken me to the next hospital.” Tony corrected him and raised an eyebrow. “You would have never let me help you.” 

“Because you were injured! Gravely injured! Then you don’t fight anymore, Tony.” Steve sighed deeply. “Let’s not discuss this anymore.” A tired smile appeared on his lips. “I’m so glad that you’re alright.”

“How did you get me here?” He raised his eyebrows. “And where are the others? Is Pepper alright? How did she deal with everything?” The beeping sound fastened again and Steve looked up in alarm.

“You have to stay calm, she’s fine. And Pepper’s here, by the way. In New York. She arrived a few days ago and only left your side when Natasha forced her to eat something or go to sleep. Just like right now, she left about two hours ago.”

Slowly, Tony started to relax again. “Alright, but you didn’t answer my other question. How on earth did you manage to get me here in this state?”

“Rhodey made a few calls and could get a plane with special medical supplies from the army.” Steve explained. “You nearly didn’t make it either way.”

Tony frowned. “I’m not feeling that bad. It still hurts a little, but not that much.” Suddenly, he had an idea. “I want to talk to Bruce. He treated me, right?”

“Together with a friend of his.”

“Dr. Cho?” Tony guessed and when Steve nodded in surprise, Tony chuckled. “Long story, I know her. And now I need to see Bruce. JARVIS?”

“ _Doctor Banner is already on his way, sir._ ” JARVIS answered immediately. 

“We don’t know how they did it.” Steve said slowly. “At some point, you just started to get better. Even if you still look terrible, Tony. And Bruce refused to tell us anything. He said that it should wait until you woke up.”

“ _Sir, should I also call Mrs. Potts?_ ” JARVIS interrupted their conversation. 

“No, let her sleep.” Tony decided after a few moments of hesitation. He wanted nothing more than to see her, but from what Steve said Pepper really needed some rest.

“She’ll be angry at me, not you.” Steve noted. “I promised to tell her when you wake up.”

Tony sighed. “Alright, then tell her, J.”

“ _Of course, sir._ ” 

“I think I know what Bruce did.” Tony muttered now and when Steve raised his eyebrows, he shook his head. “I’m not sure yet, let’s wait for him. Is Rhodey also still here?”

Steve shook his head. “He had to leave yesterday. The president wanted to see him. But he’ll come back once the meeting there is over. That should be within the next days.”

“I should call him soon.” He said more to himself. “Otherwise, he won’t stop worrying.”

“That’s true.” Steve agreed. “He was out of his mind the whole time.”

“And you too.” It was just a guess, but Steve nodded sadly.

“If you wouldn’t have made it, that would have been my fault.” He could hear the unhappiness in his voice.

Tony frowned. “Why do you think that?”

“It was my idea to split up in Alaska.” Steve sighed. “And then they took you.”

“Doesn’t mean that it was your fault. Or does Bucky blame himself too? Because he went back to you while I stayed to have a closer look at those rooms?” He would have loved to cross his arms, but maybe that wasn’t a good idea now.

“He wasn’t too happy, no.” Steve explained.

Tony groaned. “So now we’ve got two people who tend to blame themselves unnecessarily? Great. Just great.” He narrowed his eyes. “It was my decision to go there, Steve. You couldn’t have done anything. Just like it was my decision not to cooperate with Strucker back in Sokovia. And of course to blow up that whole place.” Steve opened his mouth to say something, but Tony looked at him sharply. “Did you get that scepter?”

First, Steve seemed to be taken aback by this question, but then he nodded. “It’s locked here in the tower. And we have Strucker. SHIELD will deal with him now.”

Tony frowned. “Maria Hill?”

“She returned a few days ago. Her brother’s here too. They were able to save him.”

Tony nodded, but he didn’t really care. “We have to talk to the director of SHIELD soon.”

Steve nodded. “We will. But only when you’re feeling better. And that might take some time.”

Or maybe not. When the door opened and Bruce walked in, Tony decided to find out about that first. The other things could wait for now.

Bruce was smiling and there was a relieved look on his face. “Tony, how are you feeling?” Tony already hated this question, even if he knew that he would hear it more often now.

“What did you do?” He demanded to know. “I’m not feeling as bad as I should. In fact, I nearly don’t feel the injuries anymore.”

“Tony...” Bruce began slowly and grabbed himself another chair. “Why don’t we check on you first?”

Tony noticed that Steve’s eyes narrowed at Bruce’s attempt to change the subject and he laughed dryly. “Nice try. No, let’s talk first.”

“You have to understand that it didn’t look good. You were nearly dead when we arrived here in New York. I didn’t think that your state would get better, more likely just worse. And Dr. Cho said –“

“Alright, I get it.” Tony interrupted him. “It wasn’t looking good so you decided to use Extremis on me.”

He ignored Steve’s surprised gasp and focused on Bruce. They didn’t tell anyone that they’ve kept working on Extremis in the past months. They were sure that it would work without side effects, but they hadn’t been completely confident about this. Since they didn’t get a chance to test it yet.

Apparently, this was the final test. When Bruce looked at him apologetically, Tony knew that his presumption had been right. “We didn’t have another choice, Tony. I’m sorry. Otherwise, I would have never done this.”

“Did you run tests on me?” He asked slowly. His mind was racing. He was feeling better. And next to that? Normal. Nothing seemed to be different. All the side effects Pepper had described to him back then weren’t there. At least not yet.

“Constantly.” Bruce nodded. “Everything’s normal. Your metabolism didn’t change. It’s stable. The injuries are healing well and should be gone soon. And it’s already leaving your system again, that’s why you’re not completely fine again.”

Tony stared at him. “So it worked?”

Bruce grinned. “You did it, Tony.”

“We did.” Tony corrected him firmly and touched his chest carefully. It hurt, but only a little bit.

“Wait, do you want to say that you’ve been working on that substance that even killed people all along?” Steve asked incredulously. “I thought you destroyed all of it.”

“I’m a scientist, I can’t resist a challenge.” Tony said simply while Bruce began to explain more about Tony’s current state. Steve listened to their conversation silently and when Tony glanced at him, he saw a thoughtful look on Steve’s face.

However, his friend didn’t get a chance to scold them again because the door flew open with a loud bang. And there she was. Pepper was paler than usual and even from the distance, Tony could see the dark rings under her eyes. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she didn’t change her clothes in days. However, to Tony she’d never looked more beautiful than in this moment.

Her eyes were wide and filled with concern when she ran towards the bed. Natasha who’d followed her leaned in the doorframe and waved at Tony, but she made no attempt to enter the room. Tony was so focused on Pepper that he nearly missed that Bruce and Steve left quietly.

In front of the bed, Pepper stopped abruptly and looked at him silently. She bit her lip, something she only did when she was really agitated.

Tony smiled softly. “Hey Pepper.” He was glad that Bruce had deactivated the monitor that showed his heartbeat. Otherwise, the alarm might have started now.

For a few more seconds, Pepper just stared at him. Only now Tony noticed that she was shaking and there were silent tears running down her cheeks. He held out his arms carefully and suddenly, she threw herself at him. And then she began to sob loudly.

Tony held her while she cried and kept whispering calming words. He had to hold back tears himself. He’d been so sure that he would never see her again. And yet here they were. Together in New York. And they were both fine. In this moment, Tony would have loved to thank Bruce and Dr. Cho for using the Extremis on him. However, he wasn’t sure how Pepper would react when he told her about this. She’d urged him to get rid of that substance. He’d lied to her, saying that he did.

After what felt like hours, Pepper finally looked up again. Her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks wet with tears, but she didn’t seem to care. “You’re alive.” Her words were barely a whisper and Tony touched her cheek carefully, wiping away the last tears with his thumb. She closed her eyes at that but opened them again soon. “Tony, I thought I’d lost you.”

“Me too.” He whispered and pulled her closer.

“I’ve been so afraid. When they returned without you…” And then she began to cry again. This time, she gained control again sooner. “We thought you were dead.”

“Close enough.” He muttered, not wanting to lie to her again. He took her hands and squeezed them. “But I’m here now and everything’s fine, Pepper.”

She laughed breathlessly and suddenly, her lips were on his. When he kissed her back, she sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

When they parted, they were both breathing heavily. “I love you, Pep.” Tony whispered and smiled softly.

“I love you too.” She kissed him again. “And don’t you dare do something like that again! I can’t stand it.”

“I won’t.” He whispered and hid his face on her neck. He breathed in deeply, enjoying her scent. “Next time, I’ll be even more careful.”

“You better do that. Otherwise, I’ll be very angry with you.” Suddenly, she stiffened and drew back. When he saw the look on her face, he raised his eyebrows.

“What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” She sounded terrified and Tony couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

“No, I’m fine. Really, Pepper.” He pulled her closer again.

“How is that possible?” Pepper asked. “Rhodey told me that they weren’t sure if you would make it when they were on their way to New York. And that was just a week ago.” He noticed that her voice trembled when she mentioned that he might not have made it.

“We’ve got good doctors here.” Tony said slowly, hoping that she wouldn’t ask any questions. But this was Pepper and she knew him far too well. Most probably, she already knew that he wanted to hide something from her.

“Bruce isn’t even a real doctor.”

He sighed. “There’s no way you’ll just forget this, will you?”

Now she frowned at him. “What’s wrong?” This time, she was the one to ask that question.

He hesitated and her eyes narrowed. “Bruce and Dr. Cho might have done something…”

“Tony, what is it?” She sounded serious now and he sighed in defeat.

“Alright. I’m sure you remember Extremis.”

Her eyes widened in horror and she opened her mouth, but he kept talking quickly. “I couldn’t throw it all away, you know how I am, Pep. I just couldn’t resist the challenge to make it better. To make it work like it was supposed to. And I did it, together with Bruce’s help. However, we never got a chance to test it. You don’t have to worry, I’m completely fine. Bruce is running tests on me constantly, everything is normal. No side effects.”

She kept staring at him. “They injected you this substance?”

He nodded silently, waiting for her reaction.

“Otherwise, you would have died?”

Again, he nodded. The chance to save him without the Extremis would have been far too small. However, he didn’t want to say it like this so he better remained silent.

Of course Pepper could guess his thoughts. “And you’ll be fine? No consequences?”

“It’s already leaving my system again. That’s why I’m not healing that fast anymore.” Tony explained.

Pepper looked at him silently for some time and at some point, Tony just couldn’t stand it anymore. “What are you thinking? I know you’re mad at me for lying to you. And I’m sorry, Pep. I really am. I won’t do it again, I promise. But you have to keep in mind that it was really useful now. Who knows what would have happened otherwise?”

“It’s fine, Tony.” She said suddenly, taking him by surprise. “I’m not mad. Well, a little bit. But not really. After all, it saved your life.” She hesitated. “Just make sure that there won’t be any side effects, will you?”

He nodded. “We can do that. But it should work, really. I fixed all the problems.”

Slowly, a smile spread on her lips. “Now I’m glad that you did.” She placed a hand on his chest carefully, right above his heart. “Does it still hurt?”

“Not that much. I’m nearly fine again.” He smiled at her.

“But you were in pain.” She muttered darkly. “Rhodey wouldn’t tell me what they did to you. Just that they found so much blood in Alaska. And that there was an explosion in Sokovia.” She swallowed. “And you caused it.”

“Let’s not talk about this.” He whispered, but she shook her head.

“I need to know. This time, I really need to hear it.” He knew exactly what she meant. Last time, he didn’t tell her anything. Back when he’d been captured in Afghanistan. He wanted to spare her the details.

“I don’t want you to carry this burden with me.” He muttered.

“And if I want to?” She touched his cheek carefully. “You don’t have to do everything alone, Tony.”

He hesitated. “It’s not a nice story.”

“I don’t care. Please?”

And that’s what did it. He didn’t tell her everything. Tony kept the bloody details to himself. If Pepper noticed it, she didn’t say anything. She just listened silently, her face hidden on his chest. When he came to his decision in Sokovia, she inhaled sharply and started to shiver. Then, he wrapped both arms around her tightly.

When he finished, she was silent for a long time. At some point, she looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright, I can deal with it.” He said and knew that it was true. He’d lived through worse. Afghanistan had been worse.

“You know that you can talk to me any time.”

He smiled softly. “I know.” He kissed her softly. “My Pepper.”

That’s how the others found them later. The whole team entered the room at once, filling it with happy words and much laughter. Tony noticed that Natasha and Pepper talked about something in a corner of the room, but he didn’t get a chance to ask. The other Avengers were surrounding him and kept saying how glad they were that he was alright.

And then another big surprise came. Peter Parker was also there. In the past week, he’d called several times and Steve had decided to tell him what happened. When Tony woke up, JARVIS had also contacted the kid.

The others didn’t stay in the room for a long time. When they left, Pepper climbed into the bed next to Tony and wrapped her arms around him under the covers. Tony wanted to ask her what the conversation with Natasha had been about since they’d both looked agitated, but Pepper was already asleep.


	68. Chapter 68

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

When Tony woke up again, the sun was shining and bathed the room in its light. He blinked several times and turned his head slowly. Pepper was still asleep, a peaceful smile on her lips. One of her arms was wrapped around his waist and she held onto his shirt tightly, just like she never wanted to let him go again. Which was most probably the truth.

Tony watched her for some time, but he didn’t touch her. The chance that she would wake up was too high and he didn’t want to interrupt her sleep. She really needed it. Again, he felt relieved that he was here now, together with Pepper. Even if using the Extremis on him had been a very high risk, it had saved his life. And if there were really no consequences… who knew, maybe they could use it again?

He would have loved to look into a mirror now and see the state of his injuries, but that would mean that he’d have to move. And he didn’t want this moment with Pepper to end yet. He’d missed her far too much for this.

Back in Sokovia, he really thought that he’d never get to see her again. Tony had accepted that he’d die there, even if he didn’t like it at all. But what other choice did he have? They had to stop Hydra and blowing up that whole place had been their only chance. Now their headquarter was destroyed and they knew more about all the other facilities which were left. Soon, the Avengers could deal with them and then everything would be over.

In this moment, Tony decided not to waste his time anymore. He would spend as much as possible with Pepper. Life was far too short and it could end anytime. He wanted to make as many good memories as possible.

Suddenly, she turned into his arms and yawned. When she opened her eyes and saw that he was watching her, she smiled. “Good morning.”

He touched her cheek carefully. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than in days.” She nodded and sat up to kiss him.

When their lips touched, Tony wrapped his arms around her shoulders to pull her closer. She gasped in surprise at his sudden movement, but then they both laughed. She placed both hands on his cheeks and looked deeply into his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Pep.” He replied immediately and then they kissed again. When they finally parted, they were both breathing heavily.

Tony grinned. “We should wake up like this every morning.” He noted, which made her chuckle.

“Most of the time, you complain that we have to get up far too early.”

“This would make it better.” He grinned and sat up slowly. To his surprise, it worked pretty well. And he wasn’t in pain anymore.

Pepper frowned and he could see the concern in her eyes. “Do you think that this is a good idea? You need more rest, Tony.”

“I’m fine.” He replied simply and moved his shoulders carefully. There was only a slight ache in his chest, the real pain was gone. Also the pain in his back where they’d kicked him.

“It still surprises me how fast you healed.” She muttered. “But when they used Extremis, it’s only logical.” Suddenly, she looked afraid. “You’re sure that you’ll be fine?”

He nodded and took her hands. “We’ve made sure that there won’t be any side effects. But Bruce will also run more tests on me later. Then we can be completely sure.”

She breathed in shakily. “I’m just glad that you’re here again.”

He swallowed. “Me too.” Then he wrapped his arms around her again. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I should never let you go again.” Pepper whispered and he chuckled.

“We both know that it’s not possible, Pep.”

“That’s true.” She sighed. “But we’ve decided long ago that a normal life would be far too boring for us.”

“Seems like we’re both stupid.” Tony noted.

“But I could really live without the worries.” Pepper grimaced. “Those are just terrible.”

“It won’t happen again. Now that Hydra’s headquarter is destroyed, they won’t cause us any problems anymore.” When she didn’t look convinced, he sighed. “It’s nearly over.”

“And what comes after that? Ever since you became Iron Man, we’ve been running from one threat to another. I highly doubt that it’ll be just over then.” She voiced her doubts.

“It won’t.” He agreed and smiled slightly. “But we’ll get through it all. Like we always did. Together.”

She frowned at him for a few more seconds, but then she relaxed and smiled back at him. “You’re right, I shouldn’t worry so much.”

“I don’t blame you.” He threw in. “Not after what happened. It was really a disaster.”

“Your bad feeling has been justified.” Pepper nodded. “Let’s hope that it won’t happen again.”

Instead of saying anything else, he kissed her again. And then he stood up slowly. First, he had doubts that his legs would carry him, but it worked pretty well. After a few slow steps, Tony noticed that he was really feeling alright. He glanced at Pepper and saw the concern on her face. When he smiled at her, it vanished slowly.

She stood up as well and joined him when he made his way to the small bathroom. After taking a deep breath, Tony looked in the mirror. He was wearing a plain white t shirt and sweatpants. At first glance, he looked rather normal. But then he stepped closer and saw the dark rings under his eyes, together with several bruises that were nearly faded. His arms were also covered in them. They were rather looking like yellow and red spots than real bruises, but he could imagine how bad they looked before they used Extremis on him.

“You looked really awful.” Pepper said quietly and he nodded slowly.

“I can imagine.” He muttered, remembering how bad he’d felt. After a short moment of hesitation, he took off his shirt. When Pepper gasped behind him, Tony knew that the Extremis didn’t heal all his injuries yet. His chest and his back were still covered in red and purple bruises, but he barely felt them. On his chest, there was the scar where the arc reactor had been. And right next to it was a new, much smaller one. They’d really just missed his heart.

He turned to Pepper again. The heartbroken look on her face and the way her hands were shaking when she reached out to touch his chest nearly broke his heart. She placed both her hands right above his scars and slowly, her expression changed to thoughtful. “What are you thinking?” He asked, not able to stand the silence between them any longer.

“How happy I can be that you’re still here.” She said quietly. “After everything that happened to you.”

Tony wanted to tell her that it was alright. That his life was completely normal and everything had been easy. That nothing bad would happen again. And it shouldn’t surprise her that he got through all this. But no words would come out.

“I’ve been thinking of you.” He whispered instead. “Back in Sokovia. When it didn’t look good. Just like I thought of you back in Afghanistan. I closed my eyes and saw your face right in front of me. How you always smiled when I made a joke. And you used to roll your eyes when I was being stupid again.” He chuckled softly and her eyes filled with tears. “I know I’ve never told you this. But back then, we haven’t been this close. It felt… wrong. I didn’t even know if you saw me that way.” He wiped away her tears. “I’ve been in love with you for such a long time. My Pepper. What would I do without you?” 

He leaned in and kissed her softly. When he drew back, she was still crying, but there was a smile on her lips. “It broke my heart. Both times it was Rhodey who told me the bad news. And both times, I nearly broke down. I’ve always wanted you. Even when you’ve still been an ass with all your alcohol, the women and the parties.”

“We’ve been so stupid.” He muttered and pulled her closer. When she hesitated, he chuckled. “You won’t hurt me.”

“It doesn’t look good.” Pepper threw in hesitantly, but then she wrapped her arms around his shoulders carefully.

“I’ll be fine.” He kissed her neck softly. “A few more days of rest and then it’ll be as if nothing happened.”

“You’re hopeless.” She muttered and made him laugh again.

“You love me.”

“I do.” He could hear from her voice that she was smiling.

After a long time, they pulled back again. “I think Bruce will show up soon.” Tony sighed. “Most probably together with Steve.”

“Oh they won’t.” Pepper said and suddenly, there was a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “JARVIS, lock the door. Tell the others that they can see us in two hours from now. Tony is feeling fine, they don’t need to check on him yet.” She raised her eyebrows innocently. “You said that you’re feeling fine?”

He looked at her in surprise. “I do.” He agreed and suddenly, he was pulled back towards the bed. While doing that, Pepper’s hands were already on the sweatpants he was wearing.

* * *

“I don’t want to complain, but what was this about?” Tony asked quietly and caressed Pepper’s back slowly.

She chuckled. “I’ve missed you. And I needed you to know how much.”

“Oh, now I’ve got a very good impression.” He laughed. “And I’ve missed you too.”

“You’ve just shown me that.” She placed a hand on his chest again. “Tony… there is something I need to tell you.”

This caught his attention and he sat up abruptly, looking at her through narrowed eyes. “When you start a conversation like this, it’s never good.” He said suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing bad.” She threw in quickly, but the look on her face betrayed her. It was an anxious expression, which meant that she was afraid to talk about this.

“Don’t lie to me.” He raised his eyebrows. “I know that look on your face. You’re afraid of my reaction.”

“No, I’m not.” Another lie. He crossed his arms and she sighed in defeat. “Alright, it’s something unexpected.”

Suddenly, something came to his mind. “Yesterday, you were talking about something with Natasha. And you looked agitated.”

“You really notice everything…” She muttered and nodded. “Yes, we were talking about it as well.” She sat up and took his hands. “It’s really nothing bad. It’s just…” She hesitated again and no words would leave her mouth.

“Pepper.” Tony said softly and touched her cheek. “We can talk about everything, you know that?” This seemed to make her calm down again and she relaxed slightly.

“I know.” She agreed and breathed in deeply. “Tony, I’m pregnant.”

And just like this, his whole world started spinning. He stared at her and when she realized that he wouldn’t say anything, she took his hands again. “I know that you said you’re not ready for this. I really do. But it just happened. I understood that you wanted to wait. And I would have been fine with it…” He knew that she would have kept talking, but he shook his head slowly, making her fall silent.

“Give me a second.” He pleaded and when the sad look on her face returned, he smiled slightly. “That’s… Wow. I’m surprised.” He said finally. “Really surprised.”

Slowly, he realized the meaning behind her words. Pepper was pregnant. He was going to be a father! They would have a real family. And not in years like they’ve planned. But soon. It was overwhelming.

He felt his lips turning into a wide grin. “I’m going to be a father?” He asked and his voice sounded surprised.

When Pepper nodded, he noticed that she was crying again. “Yes.”

And then he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. When they parted, Pepper smiled uncertainly. “And you’re really fine with this? I mean, you wanted to wait…”

“Pepper.” He interrupted her. “Is this what you want?”

She nodded slowly, still looking insecure.

“That’s what I thought.” He whispered more to himself and grinned at her again. “I think words can’t describe how happy I’m right now.”

When they kissed again, they were both laughing and crying at the same time. That’s also how the others found them later when Bruce and Steve wanted to check on Tony again.


	69. Chapter 69

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“So how does it feel?” Steve asked later. They were alone in the room. Pepper had left right before Bruce wanted to run some tests on Tony, having to deal with important issues for the company. And after he’d noted that everything was fine with Tony, Bruce had left as well. Tony knew that he wanted to give him and Steve some privacy. And most probably, Natasha was also waiting for him somewhere.

While Steve asked this question, Tony was walking around slowly. He’d decided to return to his room today, but Steve had stopped him before they could leave.

“The Extremis?” Tony asked and looked at him in surprise.

Steve nodded. “You’ve been nearly dying and now you’re alright again. I know how strange such a feeling is.”

Tony chuckled when he noticed that it was true. After all, Steve had also been an experiment. Just like he was now. “I feel fine.” He said simply and shrugged. “I don’t feel the pain, which is strange. Because I  _know_ that it should be there. I looked in the mirror and saw everything. But I don’t feel it.” 

Steve frowned at him. “It’s still strange to know that they injected you this substance. I mean, it killed people.” It had nearly killed Pepper.

“As I said, we were working on it for months. Now I’m really glad about it. Sometimes, I thought of stopping. After all, Pepper wouldn’t like it.”

“I’m glad that you didn’t stop.” Steve said seriously.

“I think we all are.” Tony muttered and chuckled. “But that wasn’t the main point why you wanted to talk to me in private, right?” He knew Steve too well to believe that this was the only reason.

Steve smiled uncomfortably. “I forget how easy you can read me.”

“So what is it, Cap?” Tony asked lightly and raised his eyebrows.

“You’re going to be a father.” Steve said slowly and now Tony understood why he wanted to talk to him in private. After all, Steve knew that Tony hadn’t felt ready for children yet. They’d talked about it a few days after Pepper left New York. “And you always said that you didn’t want it yet.”

He nodded slowly. Back when Pepper had informed him about the new situation, he’d been quite overwhelmed. First the Extremis and then that. But now he could see things a little more clearly. Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that was quite a surprise.”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “You’re not that happy anymore?”

Tony hesitated. “I’m not so sure.” He admitted after a few moments and sighed. “It’s all too much right now.”

“I understand how you feel.” Steve said softly. “So much happened to you in the past weeks, I think it’s normal that you feel overwhelmed.”

“It’s not just that.” Tony muttered and began to walk around aimlessly. “I’m not sure if I can be a good father. If I can be a father at all.”

“Tony…” Steve began hesitantly, but Tony held up his hand to stop him.

“Let me finish first.” He asked and Steve nodded. “You know how difficult our lives are. We’re superheroes and part of the Avengers. We’re always out there, trying to save the world. Trying to make it a better place. It’s like we’re not meant to settle down permanently. Yes, I know that the tower’s our home, but there are always longer periods in which we aren’t here. It has even been difficult to find time for Pepper. Time in which we could be alone, without anyone bothering us. I’ve planned to take more time for her, but until now, it didn’t work. Most of the time, one of us has more important things to do. She has Stark Industries and I have Iron Man. Do you think that will change once we have a child? Can it even grow up like everyone else?” He shrugged. “What are we supposed to do?”

Steve walked towards him and placed a hand on his arm. “You will figure everything out.  _We_ will figure it out, together. Because we’re a big family, aren’t we?” He smiled slightly and slowly, Tony relaxed. 

“Do you think so?”

Steve nodded, looking more confident than Tony felt. “Maybe the childhood won’t be normal, but together, we can deal with it.”

Suddenly, a thought came to Tony’s mind. “Uncle Steve.” He muttered and chuckled at the sound of it.

Steve’s eyes widened slightly. “You don’t mean that.”

“Why not?” Tony asked. “You’re my best friend. And Pepper likes you too. I bet she would be fine with it.”

“And what about Rhodey?”

“Can’t out child have two uncles?” Tony grinned when Steve shook his head in disbelief. However, he got serious again quickly. “That doesn’t mean that I feel ready for this. I could have waited much longer.”

“I think you’re never ready for this.” Steve said thoughtfully.

Tony sighed. “I’ve got to think about it for some time. Trying to wrap my thoughts around it. Doesn’t work right now.”

Now he could see the concern in Steve’s eyes. “Are you sure that you’re alright?”

He forced a smile on his lips. “I’m fine.” Physically, he was fine. He felt good, considering everything that happened. But emotionally? “Maybe I just need to be alone for some time.”

“Peter wants to come over later.” Steve told him. “But I’m sure you already knew that?”

Tony nodded. “He said so yesterday. Poor kid has been worried like crazy. I promised to do something with him. Maybe watch a movie. Do you want to join us?”

Steve shook his head with a smile. “That’s something between the two of you. I’ll join you next week for the training session. Even though I’m still thinking that we should postpone it.”

“I feel alright, Steve.” Tony emphasized every word. “But if it makes you feel better, I’ll just watch. But don’t beat the kid up again.” He held up his hand threateningly.

“Of course not. I’m always careful with him.”

“As careful as with me.” Tony muttered. “I was covered in bruises after our first sessions.”

“But you got better fast.” Steve threw in.

Tony laughed dryly. “You’re just saying this to make me feel better.” He muttered but smiled slightly. “I’ll just go to my room now. I’ll see you for dinner. JARVIS, when Peter arrives he should come to my personal quarters.”

Slowly, he started to walk towards the door, Steve right next to him. “Where’s Pepper?”

“ _Mrs. Potts has an important meeting with the counsel of Stark Industries._ ” JARVIS informed them. “ _It will take a few more hours._ ” 

“That’s good.” Tony muttered thoughtfully. He really needed to be alone now.

He could feel Steve’s worried glance on him but decided to ignore it.

* * *

Later that evening, he was sitting in the kitchen together with Peter and the other Avengers. They were having dinner, however Pepper was still missing. The meeting with SI took much more time than expected. Tony suspected that they wanted to make new changes she didn’t like again. Maybe he should show himself soon. That would make it easier for her. At least for some time.

He didn’t tell Peter about Pepper’s pregnancy yet and Tony was glad when no one else mentioned it. The only others who knew about it yet were Bruce, Natasha and Steve.

After lots of time alone in his room, Peter had ripped Tony out of the dark thoughts. They’d watched a terrible action movie and then they’d joined the others for dinner.

Tony was glad to have the kid around. With him, everything seemed to be much easier. He enjoyed Peter’s company. He could always make him laugh. Soon, Tony would make a few more changes on Peter’s suit. For safety reasons. And Spiderman needed another update.

He knew that Peter was still feeling a little uncomfortable around all the Avengers, but slowly the kid was getting used to it. Right now, he was telling a story about his time at school. Tony wondered if the others found it as entertaining as he did, but a look at their faces told them that they did. Slowly, the kid was searching his way in all their hearts.

“I think we should celebrate.” Thor said when Peter finished his story. “After all, we beat Hydra and Tony is with us again.”

“We didn’t beat them yet, Thor.” Steve reminded him carefully. “There are still more facilities left.”

“But we have their leaders and the headquarter is destroyed.” Thor threw in. “Our victory is close enough. We won’t have more problems.”

Tony exchanged a look with Steve and from the expression on his face he could tell that his friend wasn’t completely convinced, but then he shrugged.

“Alright.” Tony said and grinned at the others. “We didn’t have a party in such a long time.”

“But not today. Or in the next days.” Bruce threw in quickly. “You still have to heal, Tony.”

He rolled his eyes. “You heard the doctor.” He exclaimed loudly. “But as soon as I’m better, we’re having a party.”

“Will I be invited as well?” Peter asked curiously.

“Of course.” Tony said without hesitation. “You can also bring your friend, Ted.”

“Ned.” Peter corrected him firmly.

“Whatever.” Tony muttered and smiled slightly. “I bet that will be great.”

“We still have to deal with Hydra.” Steve threw in thoughtfully.

“Tony isn’t ready for that yet.” Bruce explained.

“I meant Strucker.” Steve said the name carefully, just as if he was waiting for Tony to break down or something like that. “I bet he’s got more information that could be useful for us.”

“You want to make him talk?” Clint asked curiously.

When Steve nodded seriously, Natasha chuckled. “I always thought you preferred talking to someone calmly. I bet it won’t work with Strucker.”

“That’s why I wanted to ask you to do it with me.” Steve admitted slowly.

“And what about me?” Tony asked incredulously. “I want to be there as well.”

“Do you really think that this is a good idea?” Steve asked doubtfully. “I mean, after everything that happened…”

“After that, I have the best reason to talk to him!” Tony exclaimed loudly. “Or does anyone here wants to disagree?”

When no one said a word, he nodded with satisfaction. “You won’t do this without me, Steve.” He said seriously and after a few moments of hesitation, Steve nodded.

“And we have to look at the scepter more closely.” Bruce changed the subject and this caught Tony’s attention. “I didn’t do anything yet, I wanted to wait for you.”

Tony grinned. “I bet that will be fun.”

“Just don’t destroy anything. That thing is dangerous.” Clint muttered uncomfortably and in this moment, they all remembered very well what happened the last time they had to deal with Loki’s scepter.

“We’re always careful.” Tony tried to calm him down, but Clint didn’t look convinced. In fact, they all looked sceptical.

“ _Sir, Mrs. Potts is on her way._ ” JARVIS’ voice echoed through the room and suddenly, the uneasy feeling in Tony’s stomach was back. And with that all his doubts he’d tried to forget in the past hours. 

“That’s great.” He muttered and noticed that he sounded absent-minded now. “But I just wanted to accompany Peter to the car. I’ll see Pepper later.” With that he stood up and gestured for Peter to follow him, ignoring the surprised glances the others threw at him. Only Steve looked concerned.

“What was that about?” Peter asked when they were standing in the elevator together.

“Nothing. Just wanted to accompany you.” Tony said lightly and next to him, the kid relaxed. “I’ve been thinking about making more changes on your suit. Spiderman really needs an update.”

Peter stared at him. “But you just changed something a few weeks ago!”

“Doesn’t mean that I can’t do it again.” Tony grinned at his excitement. “Just come over again soon. I’ll be here. It’s not like I could leave this building in the next days anyway.”

“I have few projects for school, but I think I can manage coming after that.” Peter sounded impatient now, as if school was bothering him very much. Somehow, Tony understood this feeling.

“Just let me know when you want to come. Happy will get you then.”

Peter grinned. “That’s awesome, Mr. Stark!”

“How many times did I tell you that it’s Tony?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Oh, yes. Sorry.” Peter muttered sheepishly.

Suddenly, something else came to Tony’s mind. “Won’t that project for school take place in two weeks? You know, the one where I should accompany you?”

Peter nodded hesitantly. “Yes, it is. But with everything that happened you really don’t have to do this.”

Tony crossed his arms. “Why not? Just because I got beaten up it doesn’t mean that I’ll hide in the tower for the next weeks. I’m already feeling much better. And I promised, didn’t I?” He smiled mischievously. “After all, we wanted to show off in front of your schoolmates.”

And then something he would have never expected happened. Peter took a step forward and hugged him tightly. Just to let go of him again as fast as possible, an anxious expression on his face. “I’m sorry!” It was obvious that he feared that he’d hurt Tony.

He laughed. “I’m not made of glass. As I said, I feel fine again.”

Peter didn’t look convinced. “How is that even possible?”

“It’s a rather long story. I can tell you the next time you come over.” Tony offered and Peter nodded eagerly.

When they arrived in the garage, Happy was already leaning on the car, waiting for them.

* * *

Later, he was already lying in bed. He would never admit it, but the events of the day had left him quite exhausted. Apparently, the Extremis was really leaving his system. Otherwise, Tony suspected that he would have felt better.

After saying goodbye to Peter, he didn’t joint he others in the kitchen again. He was tired and next to that, he didn’t want to talk to Pepper again. Not when she was so happy about being pregnant and he didn’t know how he truly felt yet.

The sound of the door ripped him out of his thoughts, but he didn’t open his eyes. After a few more moments, he felt Pepper sitting down on the mattress next to him. She wrapped her arms around him carefully. Most probably, she didn’t want to wake him. And then he felt her placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

Suddenly, he felt really guilty for not going upstairs to see her. He couldn’t blame Pepper for all this. It wasn’t her fault, after all. Of course they’d agreed that they were not ready yet…

Holding back a sigh, he wrapped his arm around her. “You’re still awake?” She whispered quietly and when he opened his eyes, he saw that she was looking at him thoughtfully.

“Couldn’t sleep.” He muttered and smiled slightly.

“Tony, what’s wrong?” Pepper sounded concerned now. “Are you still feeling ill?”

“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry, Pep.” He whispered and kissed her quickly. Unfortunately, his attempt to distract her didn’t work.

“You’re not. It’s like you’re separating yourself from me.”

“You’re just imagining that.” He told her. “Why should I do that? Today was just a long day, nothing more.”

“But you spent time with Peter and the others.” She sounded unhappy now.

“Because you’ve been busy with the company.”

“You didn’t come to the kitchen again after you accompanied Peter to the car.”

“I was tired.”

“And then you couldn’t sleep.” She didn’t sound convinced.

“Too many thoughts running through my head. That happens sometimes.”

“Will you tell me what’s really going on?” Now she was frowning.

“Nothing.” Slowly, Tony had to accept that he would have to tell her about his doubts.

“Tony. Please tell me what’s going on?”

He sighed. “I really hate it when you do that.” He muttered and sighed. “Why can’t you just drop the subject?”

“Because something is bothering you.” She said simply. “And I can’t stand not knowing what it is.”

“It was all too much, nothing more.”

“That’s just normal, after what happened to you –“ She started, but Tony interrupted her again.

“I don’t mean that. I can deal with it. No problem. You know I did that before.”

His heart broke when he saw the realization on her face. And the sadness that went along with it, along with pain. “You mean…”

“The pregnancy comes really unexpected.”

“But you said that you’re happy as well.”

“Give me a few days. I need time to process this.” Very slowly, she drew back from him and he didn’t try to stop her.

“I really didn’t want this. I’ve accepted your decision to wait.”

“I know.” He said simply. “And we’ll figure it out. But I need some time. I’m sorry, Pepper.”

“Don’t you want to be a father? Do you think we can’t do all this?” Pepper sounded really hurt and there was something else in her voice. Was she afraid?

“It won’t be easy. You’ve got the company and I have Iron Man. Doesn’t leave much time for children.”

“Then we’ll just take the time.” She said sternly.

“You know that it’s not that easy.” He muttered. “I can’t just say no when I’m needed. Just like you can’t say no to the company.”

“Oh but I can.” She insisted. “Then someone else will have to deal with Stark Industries.”

He stared at her. “We don’t have someone who can replace you.”

“We will find someone.”

“I won’t trust anyone else with my company.” He said sternly and now she looked at him with wide eyes.

“You didn’t care about that before.”

“Now I do.” He said simply. “But it’s fine when you want to concentrate on the family. Then I’ll just be Iron Man and run SI next to that. JARVIS and I will manage that.”

“Tony, you can’t to that.” She was whispering now and there was an incredible sadness in her voice. “You also have to be there.”

“When you abandon the company, I don’t have another choice.” He muttered and sat up slowly. “Let’s not talk about it right now. You need sleep. After all, you’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning.”

“How do you know that?” She copied his movement and frowned at him.

“I was curious.” He said simply and stood up. “I can’t sleep right now. Goodnight, Pepper.” He ignored her protests and left the room without hesitation. Even if it pained him to do so.


	70. Chapter 70

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“I saw Pepper this morning.” Steve said casually and Tony looked up from the screen to frown at his friend.

“Did she say something?”

“No, she just looked sad.” Steve frowned. “What happened between the two of you? You were so happy yesterday.”

“Nothing.” Tony said automatically, hoping that Steve would drop the subject.

“Tony...” Alright, so he wouldn't.

“We talked, not more.” He muttered and shrugged. “It happens.”

“You had an argument.” Steve concluded.

“No, we didn't. Not really.” When Steve raised his eyebrows, Tony sighed. “Alright, I told her about my doubts concerning the child. And she might have not taken it well.”

“What do you mean?”

“I really don't want to talk about this now.” Tony muttered. “So let's just forget it, Steve.” He turned to the screen again. “I've located them.”

This caught Steve's attention. “You did? Where are they?”

“Indiana.” He said simply and pointed at something on the map.

“What are they doing there?” Steve leaned closer to the screen and frowned when he read the name of the small town Tony had located the team in. “That's in the middle of nowhere.”

He nodded. “And SHIELD has detected paranormal activity there.” Tony smiled slightly. “Would explain a lot, wouldn't it?”

“Since they're the special task force, yes.” Steve agreed. “And how will we meet them? We can't just fly there and announce our presence. They might leave again.”

“Incognito.” Tony said and his smile turned into a grin. “I hope you like to disguise yourself.”

Steve grimaced and Tony chuckled. “Do we really need to do this?”

“Yeah, we do. I've researched the team. Some of them are quite dangerous if we make the wrong impression on them.”

Now Steve turned to the information about the team which was lying on the table. “I think I know who you mean.” He muttered and skipped through the pages again. “And we'll leave soon.”

“When they've finished their mission.” Tony agreed. “Otherwise, we might get caught between the sides. Wouldn't be nice.”

“Especially since you still need to heal, Tony.” Steve said in his best leaders voice.

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, mum.” At this, Steve shook his head but didn't say anything. “JARVIS will inform us when it's time.”

“Sounds good.” Steve looked at the map again. “So we won't make a real plan?”

“Depends on the situation. Most probably, we can talk about everything on our way there.” It wouldn't be a good idea to make a plan just now. They needed to know the details about everything first. “You don't have to like this, Steve.”

Steve's lips twitched. “You know me too well.”

“I do.” Tony agreed. “It'll be fine, I know it.”

“You also said that the last time.” Now he really didn't sound happy anymore.

“Last time was different. After all, we were walking into one of Hydra's bases. Now we want to talk to a team that's on our side.” Tony reminded him. “And we know him. Our friend would never let something happen to you. You know that he's your biggest fan.”

Now Steve actually blushed! “Don't remind me of that.” He muttered, sounding quite embarrassed.

“You should feel flattered, Cap.” Tony grinned, enjoying the fact that Steve felt uncomfortable because of this. “Or angry, that depends. After all, Fury lied to us all.”

“The next time we see him, I'll make a speech about lying to friends.” Steve agreed and now he smiled again.

“I wouldn't consider him a friend.” Tony muttered thoughtfully.

“An ally?” Steve tried again and this time, Tony nodded.

“Sounds better.”

“ _Sir, Doctor Banner wants to check on you again._ ” JARVIS' voice interrupted their conversation. 

“I'm busy, J.” Tony muttered. “Bruce doesn't have to look for me every few hours. I looked at the scans an hour ago. Everything's fine.”

“ _He insists, sir._ ” JARVIS explained. 

“You should let him do it, Tony.” Steve said softly. “He only wants to make sure that you're alright.”

“I'm fine.” He groaned. “I don't want you all to act like I'm made of glass.”

“Then you should stay calm and let your body heal.” Steve crossed his arms. “And then you'll be alright again soon.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What will you do if I decide to stay here? Carry me upstairs?”

“Maybe.” Steve said simply.

“Tell Bruce that I'm on my way, JARVIS.” Tony muttered. “And make sure he knows that I don't like all this.”

“ _I am sure he knows this._ ” 

“You're not helping...” Tony muttered when he walked towards the elevator, Steve right behind him.

* * *

“Everything seems to be fine.” Bruce said when he turned to Tony again.

“I know.” He rolled his eyes. “I've looked at it this morning.”

“You're not a doctor, Tony.”

“You neither.” He replied immediately and crossed his arms. “Can I go now? There are a few important things I have to deal with.”

Bruce nodded in defeat. “But no training sessions just now. The bruises still need to fade.”

“At my healing rate, they should be gone within four days.” Tony told him.

“That's correct.” Bruce muttered. “But you shouldn't overestimate yourself.”

“I won't.” He said shortly and stood up. After putting on his shirt again, he walked towards the door.

“How does a movie night sound to you?” Steve's question made him stop.

“Hopefully not such a bad action movie like last time?”

Steve grinned. “Clint said he found one that's even worse.”

Tony considered this for a few moments. “Only if we order Chinese food.”

“Sounds like a deal.” Steve agreed immediately.

“JARVIS, inform the others.” Tony decided. “And no, Bruce, we won't watch the science report on TV first.”

At this, Bruce ran a hand through his hair innocently. “I wasn't even going to suggest that.”

“You were.” Tony argued and smiled widely. “The others would be bored to death.”

“I _know_ that.” Bruce sighed. “Nat always says she doesn't understand how I can watch it without falling asleep.”

“She's right about that.” Steve threw in.

“Sometimes, it's quite interesting.” Tony explained. “But most of the time rather not.”

Steve laughed. “I bet you'd like it if your projects would be the topic.”

“Just that they're top secret.” Tony nodded while they made their way to the kitchen.

“Now that you mention top secret...” Bruce began and they both turned to him again. “We have to look at the scepter.”

“Sounds great. Do you want to join us, Steve?”

“I've promised Bucky and Sam to go to the gym with them.” He said apologetically.

“Then we'll see you later.”

* * *

On their way to the lab, Tony noticed that Bruce was looking at him thoughtfully. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” Bruce replied automatically.

“I don't believe you.” Tony threw in. “You had this thoughtful look on your face which always appears when you're worried.”

“You don't look happy, Tony.” Bruce said hesitantly. “And I've been wondering why. Yesterday, everything seemed to be fine.”

“I'm just overwhelmed by everything.” He tried to sound relaxed. “You know, nearly dying and suddenly being alright again, then the child...” He shrugged. “No surprise that I think I'm losing my mind, right?”

Bruce didn't look convinced, but he accepted Tony's explanation. When they'd nearly reached the elevator, they heard footsteps in the hallway. High-heeled shoes. Tony tried to walk faster, but the person reached them before they could vanish.

Pepper was looking tired. There were dark rings under her eyes and first, Tony thought that she would just walk past them without noticing their presence. However, she stopped in the last moment. When she recognized Tony, her eyes widened slightly.

He forced a smile on his lips. “Hey Pepper.” He greeted her and tried to sound as if nothing happened. “How was the conference this morning?”

Tony thought that he only noticed her hesitation because he knew her so well. “Everything's fine. You need to sign a few documents, but that's it.”

“So the deal's going to happen?”

Now she couldn't hide her surprise anymore. Normally, Tony never knew what those conferences were about. “Yes.” She breathed and her smile faltered. “It's in the documents. They're in your office.”

“I'll look at them later.” He nodded. “Right now, we're on our way to the lab. Someone has to look at the scepter.”

“Before it can do any more harm.” Bruce added.

Pepper nodded slowly. “I have to leave. I bet Happy's already waiting for me. We need to check on our new building.”

She was already walking away again, but then she stopped. “Oh and Tony?”

“Yes?” He asked and tried to let it sound lightly.

“A technician was here this morning. He wanted to talk to you about the Avengers Compound. I bet JARVIS can get you his number.” Without waiting for his reaction, she turned around and vanished around the next corner.

Bruce looked at him incredulously. “What was that?”

“Nothing.” Tony replied and stepped into the elevator.

* * *

The next days passed rather slowly. Tony kept looking at the scepter together with Bruce. Next to that, he waited for JARVIS to inform him and Steve that they could leave. He didn't see Pepper very often. Apparently, they both tried to avoid meeting each other as good as possible.

Tony still wasn't sure if this bothered him or if he was glad about it. He still couldn't wrap his thoughts around the fact that he was going to be a father. A part of him was happy, but mostly, he had doubts. And he was afraid, even if he would never admit that.

Did Pepper feel the same? Of course Tony felt guilty for all those things he said to her in _that_ night. However, he just didn't know how to approach her now. What should he say? Tell her about his fears? Would she even understand them? 

He knew that they had to figure this out together. Nevertheless, he kept avoiding a confrontation. He didn't feel ready for it yet.

His calculations had been right. Exactly five days after he left the infirmary, he was completely healed. Most of the Extremis had left his system. Tony should be completely fine again.

Which was why he was standing in the gym now, together with Peter and Steve. They wanted to show the kid more moves he could use in a fight. He needed to be able to defend himself. Tony hated the thought that he might get hurt. His suit couldn't stand every weapon, even if Tony was already working on it again.

“Tony and I will show you the moves.” Steve said just now. “Then you can try to copy them. We'll start with something easy.”

“He means trying to kick someone.” Tony added with a wink and grinned. “Even if I'm not sure if we can do anything against Steve, normally it's impossible to move him. Only Thor can manage that. Or when you catch him off guard.”

Peter grinned back at him. “I think I can do that.”

“We'll see.” Steve muttered darkly and waved at Tony. “Come on, let's try it. You still know how it works?”

He rolled his eyes. “Of course I do.” Before Steve could say anything else, Tony was running towards him. Since they were just showing Peter the movements, Steve made no attempt to defend himself.

Tony knew that he wouldn't be able to hurt Steve, so he used as much force as possible. Normally, Steve just stumbled when Tony's foot made contact with his stomach. This time, however, Steve gasped in surprise when he flew through the air and hit the ground about five meters away from Tony.

Tony was frozen in shock and stared at Steve wide-eyed, who stumbled to his feet with a gasp. “What was  _that_ ?!” He was just as shocked as Tony. 

“No idea. Are you alright, Steve?” Tony muttered and Steve nodded. “JARVIS, call Bruce. Maybe the Extremis has side effects after all.”

* * *

“No way.” Natasha chuckled. “He can't have said that.”

“But he did.” Pepper threw in and smiled weakly. She feeling tired and took another sip of her coffee.

“And you just threw him out?” Bruce asked now.

She nodded. “I didn't have a choice.”

It was still early in the morning on Pepper's only free day this week. She was sitting in the kitchen together with Natasha and Bruce. They'd joined her at breakfast. The other Avengers were nowhere to be seen. Most probably, they were all busy with something. Pepper knew that Tony was busy with Peter Parker again, she'd seen Happy leave to get the kid this morning.

When she thought of Tony, the pain she felt ever since  _that_ night returned. She still didn't understand it. First, he'd been so happy. And then his mood had changed so suddenly. Of course Pepper had known that Tony didn't want children yet. However, she didn't expect that he would distance himself from her this much. Was that thought really this bad to him? 

To be honest, she'd expected him to be alright with it. After all, Peter was like his own child to him. Or was it different with him because he was also a superhero?

She tried to avoid thinking of it any longer. The past days, she did only two things. Working and thinking about Tony's reaction.

Should she talk to him or was it the wrong way? Maybe she should wait for him to come to her. On the other hand, Tony could be very stubborn if he wanted to be. They needed to figure this out soon. Pepper knew that she couldn't handle his tension between Tony and herself much longer. Not with the pregnancy and everything else that was going on.

“ _Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark calls for your assistance._ ” JARVIS' voice announced and Pepper nearly choked on her coffee. 

Bruce frowned. “What happened, JARVIS?”

“ _There has been an incident during their training session. Apparently, the Extremis shows side effects._ ” At those words, they all froze and stared at each other. Suddenly, Pepper felt afraid. After all, she knew what Extremis could do. She'd experienced it herself. 

“Is Tony alright?” Natasha asked and now they were both standing up. Without thinking about it, Pepper joined them.

“ _Mr. Stark is fine. He is waiting for you in his lab._ ” JARVIS didn't say anything else. The troubled look on Bruce's face made Pepper's heart beat faster. 

“He was fine.” He muttered. “We've made so many scans.”

“Maybe you've missed something.” Natasha placed a hand on Bruce's arm to calm him.

“No one knows Extremis better than Tony does.” Bruce shook his head.

“Then let's see what happened.”

When they stepped into the elevator, Pepper breathed in deeply. She didn't think that she'd see Tony again in a situation like this.


	71. Chapter 71

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the characters or places!

“ _I can't detect any signs of the Extremis in your blood, sir._ ” JARVIS announced. “ _It has left your system._ ”

Tony frowned. “But why am I showing those damn side-effects then?” He muttered and continued to walk through the room. Both Steve and Peter were watching him closely, he knew that. Luckily, Steve wasn't hurt. The fall had shocked him, but nothing else. Tony knew that he was more worried for his health than about what Tony could have done to him.

“I thought everything was fine.” Steve said for the tenth time now.

“It was. At least that's what we thought!” Tony explained. “It was like this with Pepper. Once it was out of her system, she was fine again. No side-effects.”

“But isn't being super strong kind of cool?” Peter threw in.

Tony glared at the kid. “You're not helping.”

Peter held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “I'm sorry, I just wanted to lighten the mood.”

For a few moments, Tony looked at him silently. Then he sighed. “I know, Peter. I really do. It just bothers me very much that I don't know what's wrong.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Everything should be fine.”

“Maybe you missed something.” Steve suggested.

“That's why Bruce will have a look at it once he arrives here.” Tony agreed. “Though I doubt that he'll find something I didn't.”

“Do you feel any different than usual?” Peter asked and raised his eyebrows.

Tony considered this for a few moments. “Nope. Everything's fine.” He rolled his shoulders. “I feel good.”

“Will you be able to solve that problem?” Steve raised his eyebrows. “I mean, once you find out what it is.”

He shrugged. “Probably. But if it's not in my system anymore, it won't be easy.”

“When someone can find out what it is, it's you.” Peter threw in with a smile.

“Let's hope that you're right about this. Who knows what other side-effects it will show?” Tony ran a hand through his hair again. “We were so sure that it works now.”

“It does, if your goal was to improve your fighting skills.” Steve muttered and looked at him thoughtfully. “I wasn't prepared for this, but I think it would have sent me to my knees either way.”

“So you mean that I should consider fighting without my suit?” He asked playfully, mostly to distract himself from his dark thoughts.

“I just want to say that it wouldn't be so bad if those are the only side-effects.” Steve said slowly. “Then something like Alaska wouldn't happen again.”

Honestly, Tony had never considered it like this. However, he didn't want to be super strong. He was just Tony Stark, and that meant a normal person.

The door of the elevator opened and they all turned around at once. When Tony saw who was walking into the room now, he forced a smile on his lips. He'd expected Bruce and Natasha, but not Pepper. The concerned look on her face made him feel uncomfortable and just like this, all the guilt for treating her so badly returned.

“Tony, what happened?” Bruce asked. “JARVIS said the Extremis is showing side-effects.”

“Well, yeah, it does.” Tony explained. “Which doesn't make any sense because we made sure that it wouldn't. But ask Steve, he can assure you that I wouldn't have been able to do that before.”

Now all heads turned to Steve. “What did Tony do?” Natasha sounded curious.

“Let's just say that he is much stronger than he should be.” Steve said hesitantly.

“They wanted to show me how to defend myself and started with kicking someone. Mr. Stark – Sorry, Tony did just that and Steve flew through the air.” Peter explained, ignoring their attempts to let it sound more harmless.

“It wasn't that bad.” Tony's words were mostly directed at Pepper.

“It was.” Steve sighed.

Now they were all staring at Tony again. “I can't explain it.” He emphasized. “We've run so many scans and there isn't anything of Extremis left in my blood. I just checked again, it's gone. So this shouldn't be possible.”

Bruce frowned. “Did you also check on your metabolism?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Of course. Also nothing.”

“How do you feel?”

“I feel fine.” He muttered. “However, it's bothering me that I don't know what's going on.” Again, his eyes wandered to Pepper. He remembered their last conversation and how awkward it's been. He'd already considered talking to her again, but didn't know how to do it. That rarely happened to him, not knowing what to say.

Now she was looking at him with concern in her eyes. “But you were able to cure me. Why doesn't it work with you?”

“We must have missed something.” He hated to admit it, but it was the only possible answer.

“I'm sure you didn't.” She threw in and Tony couldn't stop himself from smiling at her.

“No one's perfect.” He muttered, not sure if he meant the problem with the Extremis or his breakdown considering the pregnancy.

Pepper seemed to know what he meant because her expression softened. Nevertheless, she didn't make any attempt to come closer to him. He wasn't entirely sure if it was because of his problem or their argument.

“So how strong are you exactly?” Natasha asked. “What can you do?”

“Does it matter?” Tony replied. “It's all wrong.”

“Maybe it helps us to understand the problem.” Bruce said thoughtfully. “Maybe we should call Dr. Cho.”

“JARVIS already did that some time ago. She's on her way.” Tony explained. “However, it might take some time. She just returned to Shanghai.”

Bruce grimaced. “I already thought so.” He muttered and crossed his arms. “Shall we start?”

Tony nodded and turned to the others. “This might be really boring for you and I'm sure it will take much time. Maybe you don't want to wait here?”

“I'll stay.” Steve said sternly.

“Me too.” Peter added immediately.

Tony narrowed his eyes. “Don't you have to learn for that test next week?” From the corner of his eyes, he noticed the surprised look on Pepper's face at this.

Peter stared at him. “How do you know that?”

He chuckled. “Come on, you should know better than to ask that question. You also have to prepare that presentation. After all, I have to know what we'll be talking about when I visit you at school.” At this, he winked at the kid.

Peter sighed in defeat. “Alright, but let me know what you find out.”

“We'll do that.” Tony promised. “Tell me when you're ready to practice the presentation. Oh, and we have to look at your new suit soon. I have to make sure it fits you.”

Now Peter looked excited. “That's so cool!”

Tony laughed. “I know. JARVIS, let Happy know that Peter needs to go home. And say hi to Aunt May from me.”

“I will do that.” Peter grinned and waved at the others before he left the lab.

“It still surprises me how good you're with him.” Natasha said thoughtfully once Peter was gone. “I never thought that you could deal with teenagers.”

“Normally, I can't.” Tony shrugged. “With the kid it's different.”

“Because he's also a superhero?” This time, Pepper asked the question. Tony could hear the reproachful tone of her voice, even if the others didn't seem to notice it.

“No.” He replied without a second thought. “I just like him, I guess.”

“He wants to be like you.” Bruce said while he prepared everything for the tests.

“I want him to be better.” Tony muttered. When he looked around, his gaze met Pepper's. There was a frown on her face and in this moment, he would have given everything to know what she was thinking. He could see a mixture of emotions on her face. From curiosity over surprise to sadness, everything was there.

“Tony, are you ready?” Bruce's voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

He nodded. “Of course.” He hesitated for a few moments. “Will you stay?”

When Pepper shook her head, he couldn't hide his disappointment. “I have to work.” She said apologetically. “But please make sure that you're okay.”

“We'll do that.” Bruce answered instead of Tony.

Pepper looked like she wanted to say something else, but then she just smiled and walked towards the elevator. Natasha followed her after looking at Tony reproachfully.

What the hell was wrong with him? Normally, he never had this problems at expressing his thoughts.

He turned to Bruce and Steve. “Let's see what's wrong with me.” He pushed the thoughts of Pepper aside and concentrated on the problem at hand.

* * *

“Will you tell me what happened?” Natasha asked once she and Pepper had left the lab.

Pepper frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

Nat rolled her eyes. “I'm not blind, Pepper. Something's going on between you and Tony. Everyone sees it. Ever since you told him about the pregnancy.”

“It's nothing.” She really didn't want to talk about this now, but it seemed as if Natasha wouldn't just drop the subject.

“He was so happy when you told him.” She noted.

“He was.” Pepper agreed. “But then he changed his mind.”

Natasha stared at her. “What do you mean?”

In short words, Pepper hold her about her conversation with Tony concerning the pregnancy.

“So he's scared.” Nat concluded in the end.

“Scared?”

“Of course.” Natasha said simply. “He literally told you that he's not sure if he can be a good father. He'll always be Iron Man, a child won't change that. I think he's afraid that his job as a superhero might create a gap between you.”

“That will never happen -” Pepper started to protest, but Natasha interrupted her again.

“It already happened, Pepper. Or did you just forget your time apart?” At this, she flinched. Of course she didn't forget it. She never would.

“Trying to make him stop was one of the few mistakes in my entire life.” She threw in. “I would never do that again.”

“But how would it be for a child when his or her father has to leave regularly to save the world? Maybe even for more than just a few days. It wouldn't be a normal family.”

“Tony and I already agreed that we don't want a normal life.”

“Children can change many things.” Natasha said thoughtfully and Pepper could see the pain in her eyes. When she'd told her about her pregnancy, Nat had confessed that she would never be able to have children. “Did you ever consider that he might want a normal life for his children?”

“Tony is happy with his life and he would never change a thing about it.” Pepper shook her head. “I don't think that it's the problem. I rather think...” She breathed in deeply. “I think he doesn't want children with me. At least not yet. It's too early. We just talked about it some time ago and agreed to take our time. I didn't plan all this!” She tried to hold back the tears that were about to fall again. Pepper hated crying in front of others.

“He knows that. I don't think that he's holding it against you.” Natasha said softly.

“But I do.” Pepper muttered. “This is all wrong. I never wanted it to be like this. He acted so cold towards me, it was like I didn't know him at all! And then I see him with Peter and he's so good with him and I just know that he loves the kid...” Now the tears started to fall and Pepper couldn't stop the sob that escaped her lips.

Suddenly, Natasha wrapped her arms around her and pulled her closer. “It's alright to cry, Pepper.” She whispered. “We all have our weak moments sometimes.”

“I don't know what to do now.” She confessed after some time.

“You don't want to keep the child?” Now Natasha sounded shocked which rarely happened.

“God, no! I would never... Of course I'll keep it.” Pepper stared at her. “That's not an option.”

“You know that you have to talk to Tony at some point?” Natasha asked hesitantly.

Pepper sighed. “I do. Just not now... I can't do it yet. It's all too much. First the kidnapping, then he nearly died and suddenly, he was fine again. I discovered that I'm pregnant and he was happy. Suddenly, he's not. Now those damn side-effects and I'm so scared that something will happen to him when I just thought that he would be fine again...”

“Tony and Bruce are the smartest persons I know. They'll figure out what's wrong.” Natasha tried to calm her down.

“I can't lose him, Nat.” She whispered.

“You won't. Trust them, they know what they're doing.”

“Tony's not there with all his mind. Something might go wrong. I can see when he's distracted. And the pregnancy is bothering him more than he wants to show.”

“Do you think it's bothering him or is it something else? Maybe he's just as afraid as you are.”

“He's already got the kid. Maybe he doesn't want children...” While she said those words, Pepper already realized that they were wrong. Tony wanted children, she knew that.

“Just talk to him, Pepper!” Slowly, Natasha was sounding frustrated. “It won't help to make assumptions that turn out to be completely wrong in the end.”

“I don't know how.” She admitted.

Nat crossed her arms. “Pepper Potts, you are the strongest woman I know. You can talk to Tony. You've been through so much together, don't let this tear you apart.”

“And if he doesn't want to talk to me?”

“Force him to do so. It's your right to know why he acted to cold towards you. Just tell him that.” She hesitated. “And if he doesn't want to talk, then leave.”

Pepper stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me. Take some time for yourself. Figure out what you want.”

“But I know what I want.”

There was a mischievous gleam in Natasha's eyes. “Tony doesn't know that.”

“I won't play with him like this.” Pepper protested. “That's not fair!”

“Was it fair for him to leave when you tried to stop him from being Iron Man?”

“That was different. He didn't have a choice.”

“He was about to leave before the call from Maria Hill came.” Natasha reminded her.

“I know Tony, it would make everything even worse.” Pepper muttered. Her mind was racing. She couldn't just leave, could she? What would Tony think of her? It was better if they talked. They had to talk! Otherwise, it would end in disaster and Pepper had enough of that for a lifetime.

“Just think about it. And now stop crying, it looks horrible on you.” At Natasha's poor attempt to lighten the mood, Pepper chuckled weakly.

“Why do I even talk to you when you give me so bad advices?” She muttered.

“I'm your best friend.” Nat said simply. “Now come on. You can't go to work like this.”

Pepper sighed in defeat. “You're impossible...”


	72. Chapter 72

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally all the chapters are posted here as well! I hope someone read this far. Please let me know what you think, that would be awesome! I can't say yet when I'll write the next chapter, I hope you can be patient.
> 
> I don't own the characters or places!

Even after many hours, Tony and Bruce weren't able to find the reason for his new found strength. The Extremis wasn't in his blood anymore. Now they were looking for possible metabolites, but that could still take some time. After all, no one knew how that substance was metabolised and what it could do with the other substances in the body.

It was infuriating. Tony hated problems he couldn't solve. Steve and Bruce tried to calm him down, but it didn't work. In the end, they decided to go to the gym again and test how strong Tony was exactly. The results were scary. He was just as strong as Steve now!

Of course he could live with that if there weren't any other side-effects, but he didn't want to be super strong. He was just Tony. Normal, except for his intellect. He solved problems with the head and his suit, not with strength of the body.

In the end, they decided to quit searching for the day. It was already late in the evening when the three of them went to the kitchen to grab dinner. The others weren't there anymore. Most probably, they already went to bed. There was a note on the kitchen table.

_Dinner in the fridge, Nat_

“I love her.” Bruce muttered when they found that the others had ordered Chinese.

“She's awesome.” Tony agreed.

After they'd eaten, they decided to go to bed as well.

“Where will you be sleeping?” Steve asked when Bruce was gone. “I mean, since you and Pepper...?”

Tony sighed. “There are enough guest rooms.” He muttered. “I don't like it, but I'm also not sure if she wants me there.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “You need to talk.”

“I know.” Tony agreed reluctantly. “But not tonight.”

* * *

The next morning, Tony was in his lab and worked on Peter's new suit. They were still waiting for the results of the new scans concerning the Extremis, so he thought that he could also use the time. Next to that, he was keeping an eye on the activities of a certain director of SHIELD. However, it didn't look like he and Steve could go there in the next days.

He was just thinking of the new colours – the red had been a little too bright until now – when someone entered the room. However, Tony didn't look up. “Are the scans finished?” He asked, assuming it was Bruce.

“Honestly, I don't know.” When he recognized Pepper's voice, Tony froze. He'd expected anyone to come here except for her. He turned around slowly just to find her looking at him with a small smile on her lips.

“I wouldn't expect you to.” He answered slowly. “What are you doing here?”

“Do I need a reason to see you?” She asked.

“No, but after everything...” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Tony, I'm worried.” There was concern in Pepper's voice. “Did you find something yesterday?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.” He muttered darkly. “We're still on it, though. It's driving me crazy!”

“I can imagine.” Pepper said with a frown. “I really hope you can solve this problem soon.”

“Yeah, me too.” Tony agreed. He looked at Pepper more closely and noticed that she was dressed far too formal. “You'll have to work soon?”

She nodded. “That's also a reason why I'm here.” She admitted hesitantly. “You know that I actually wanted to go to LA last week.”

“You'll be leaving?” He concluded and tried to keep the smile on his lips. It was true. Actually, Pepper had to go to LA the previous week since a few things had to be dealt with at SI. However, she stayed at the tower after everything that happened with Tony.

Again, Pepper nodded. “This afternoon. Happy's coming with me if that's alright.”

“Why shouldn't it be?” He asked and raised his eyebrows.

“Well, he also spends lots of time with the kid, so I wasn't sure if he's needed here.” He hated how insecure she sounded when she said this.

“It's fine.” Tony said simply. “We'll be alright here.”

Pepper smiled slightly. “What will you be doing?”

“Next to searching a solution for my problem?” He shrugged. “I'm working on the new suit for Peter and there are a few more things I need to fix. Next to that, I have to accompany the kid to school soon, there's this family day. You might remember, he asked me since he... well, you know.” He grimaced when he thought of Peter's parents. “And there's something Steve and I have to deal with.”

“So you'll be quite busy.” She said after looking at him for a few moments in silence.

He nodded. “Yeah, you could say it like that. And you?”

This question seemed to take her by surprise. “You never ask what I'll be doing at work.” She noted suspiciously.

Tony grinned. “It's good that I can still surprise you after all those years.” However, he got serious again very fast. “Don't stress yourself. And call me if there are problems. Then I'll come.”

Would now be the right moment to talk to her about the pregnancy? He knew that he had to apologize. And somehow, he knew that they wouldn't see each other for some time when she left now.

“Pepper, about the other night...” He started hesitantly and just like that her relaxed posture was gone. The smile on her face was replaced by an anxious look. “I want to apologize.”

When she frowned at him, Tony's heart broke. Only now he realized how badly he'd hurt her with his behaviour. “Tony...” She began, but didn't get a chance to say more. In this moment, her phone rang. Pepper pulled it out of her bag and sighed. “This is urgent, I'm sorry.”

She accepted the call and listened for a few moments. “All right, I'll be right there.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Important meeting?”

“Something like that.” She nodded. “One of our new partners in Europe wants to talk. He says it's urgent.”

Tony sighed. “We'll never get a chance to talk in peace, will we?”

She grimaced. “I really have to go. Can we talk later?”

“You mean when you're already on the plane?” Tony asked and crossed his arms. “You've got another meeting before you have to leave, remember?”

Pepper didn't ask how he knew about it. She just sighed. “I'm sorry.” She already wanted to turn around and walk away, but Tony reached forward and took her hand. For a few moments, they both stared at their entwined hands in silence.

“Be careful.” Tony whispered.

“That's my phrase.” Pepper replied. “After all, you always bring yourself in danger.” Her lips twitched, but there was sadness in her eyes.

“I love you.” Tony said simply. “Never forget that.”

“Tony...” She whispered and shook her head. When Pepper closed her eyes, Tony feared that she was going to cry. However, there weren't tears in her eyes when she opened them again.

“You're all I ever think of.” He continued. “Even in my darkest moments.” They both knew what he meant with that. The time Hydra had captured and tortured him. “Please come back to me.”

Again, there was surprise on her face. However, Tony never got to know why. In this moment, the door of the elevator opened and Happy came into the lab. “There's a video conference you have to attend.” He said to Pepper.

She swallowed and nodded. “I'm on my way.” She turned to Tony one last time. “I love you too.” Then Pepper let go of his hand, turned around and left.

When the elevator closed behind her, he still didn't turn to his work again. It took some time until he was able to focus on Peter's suit again.

* * *

“She's gone?” Steve asked incredulously. “Why?”

“Pepper is CEO of Stark Industries and needed in LA.” Tony sighed.

“Did you try to talk to her?”

“Of course I did. But we were interrupted because of a damn video conference!” Tony didn't try to hide his frustration. With Steve, it wasn't necessary.

“That's infuriating.” Steve agreed immediately. “What are you going to do now?”

“There's not much I can do. I don't want to talk to her about all this on the phone. She has work to do in LA and I've got problems I need to fix here.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don't even know when I'll see her again.”

“I think you should call her soon. You don't have to talk about the pregnancy then. Just ask how she's doing. Show her you care.” Steve suggested.

“She knows I care.” At least that's what Tony hoped. “I care so much that it hurts. I should have never told her all those things.”

“You can't undo it anymore.” Steve placed a hand on his shoulder. “Just be honest with her. And don't withdraw from her. That will only make things worse.”

“It can't be worse.” Tony muttered darkly.

* * *

It could be worse. Later that day, he was on his way to the kitchen when he heard voices from one of the media rooms. He recognized Natasha and Bruce. “So she left because he doesn't want the baby?” Bruce asked incredulously and Tony froze. He knew that he shouldn't listen to people, but right now, he couldn't help it.

“She left because she has to figure out what she wants.” Natasha explained. “She can't always do what Tony wants. She's got her own mind.”

“Pepper never did what Tony wanted.” Bruce threw in. “They always agreed on things together.”

“Remember that time when he left just because she wanted him to stop being Iron Man? Because she was worried for his safety? They didn't talk then. He just left on his own.”

“Because he thought he was doing the right thing and Hydra came back as well.” Bruce noted.

“He hurt her with it.” Natasha reminded him. “Very much.”

“He hurt himself as well.”

“That's not the point here. Pepper has to figure out what she wants now. This is about the baby.”

“She's not sure if she wants to keep it?” Bruce asked in horror.

When he heard this, Tony's heart was about to stop. Pepper didn't want to keep the baby? Would she really do that?

“Oh, she wants to keep it.” Natasha said now. “Even if she's not sure if it will work.”

At this, the pain in his chest lessened again. “They can make it work.” Bruce sounded so sure of this and Tony envied him for his optimism.

“I told her that Tony's just scared and that this has nothing to do with her.” Natasha continued. “I think she didn't believe me. She thinks he doesn't want children with her.”

He closed his eyes. How could Pepper possibly think that?

“How can she think that?” Bruce voiced Tony's thoughts. “That's everything Tony ever wanted.”

“Pepper thinks the kid, Peter, is enough for him.”

What did Peter have to do with all this? Yes, of course, he was like his own child to Tony. However, that didn't mean he didn't want to have children with Pepper.

“When you said that they have problems, I didn't expect it to be a mess like this.” Bruce sounded thoughtful now. “They really need to talk.”

“Well, might take some time. Now Pepper is gone and Tony is busy here.” Natasha threw in. “But maybe it's better this way. Pepper needs some time for herself. It's all too much with him being Iron Man, then the pregnancy, Tony nearly died... She needs time to relax.”

“And you think she'll have that in Los Angeles?”

“Or she needs to go on a vacation after that.” Was the simple answer. “Maybe some time without Tony will be good for her.”

In this moment, Tony decided that he'd heard enough. He didn't go to the kitchen. Instead, he turned around and headed back to the lab.


End file.
